Indonesia: Dayak Wehea, DSN Group team up for forest project

Nurni Sulaiman, Jakarta Post, 5 Oct 13;

As part of an effort to maintain its existence as well as to preserve its culture, the Dayak Wehea traditional council is working with plantation company PT Dharma Satya Nusantara Tbk. (DSN Group), through its subsidiary, PT Dewata Sawit Nusantara, in East Kalimantan.

The Dayak Wehea traditional council, represented by Ledjie Taq, the Dayak Wehea community leader in Nehas Liah Bing village and DSN Group's Agro business unit I Safety Health and Environment Department head Dadam Saefulbahri signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) recently in the framework of managing the Melnyie/Estate Melenyu 4 conservation area in Muara Wahau district, East Kutai regency, East Kalimantan.

"Through the agreement, DSN Group will involve the Wehea traditional community to help protect and manage the conservation area in Melnyie/Estate Melenyu 4, an oil palm estate owned by PT Dewata Sawit Nusantara spanning 1,465 hectares," said Dadam.

The Dayak Wehea ethnic community is the first and oldest tribe living in Muara Wahau. The community manages the Wehea forest through generations.

In the conservation program, the Dayak Wehea traditional council, through Wehea forest protection group Petkuq Mehuey, will conduct patrols to oversee and maintain the area.

DSN Group will contribute by providing various training programs related to conservation.

In managing the conservation area, DSN Group has collaborated with a number of institutions, such as Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada University (UGM), since 2008.

A team from UGM's School of Forestry has took inventory of potential flora and fauna inside the conservation area in DSN Group's Muara Wahau oil palm plantation, surveyed endemic wildlife and has set up an animal corridor in which animals can move freely and subsist comfortably in their habitat.

The conservation area is still home to plants and trees of high conservation value, such as ulin, red meranti and keruing gajah, which is endemic to Kalimantan.

Dayak Wehea community member Wang Bit Betung said the collaboration was the first of its kind carried out and that it was regarded as rare for the private sector to get involved with members of a traditional community.

"Hopefully, this will be sustainable and have a positive impact on the existence of the Dayak Wehea traditional community," said Wang.