VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Peat ecosystem in Indonesia is the life foundation of community surrounding the area. During 2017 the Peat Restoration Agency has intensively carried out assistance in 75 villages and sub-districts in 7 provinces. From 1.1 million hectares of land, 870 thousand hectares are peat ecosystem areas. Deputy for Education, Socialization, and Partnership of the Peat Restoration Agency, Myrna Safitri said, in 2017 from the peat ecosystem, nearly half of the area can be used as the social forestry. The potential areas of social forestry is located in protected forest areas which is connected with the National Park. In 2018, the Peat Restoration Agency predicts there will be around 900,000 hectares of peat ecosystem can be realize as a social forestry.

"In 2018 our working area becomes larger, 900 hectares.  The total number shifts more in the non-conservation area. In the past, the conservation area was quite dominant. Now, this is a non conservation area is dominant," Deputy for Education, Socialization, and Partnership of the Peat Restoration Agency, Myrna Safitri said. 

Myrna further explained, the figure still becomes non permanent map. The Peat Restoration Agency also conducted education and proposal submissions for people who interested to apply the social forestry management after getting license including ecosystem-based management activities. The community is also trained to utilize peatlands in a responsible way. The social forestry can be one of the solutions to undertake and improve peat restoration efforts as well as to empower the community's economy// (Sekar.trs.Rezha)