Airport Campaign Raises Awareness of Wildlife Trafficking

Improved Monitoring for the Sustainable Trade of Sharks and Rays

Improved Training Capacity Strengthens Conservation Management

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Engaging Indonesian Youth on the Environment

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Airport staff learn about protected species and wildlife trafficking at the photo exhibit and interactive display in the Terminal 3 departure hall of the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta.

Airport Campaign Raises Awareness of Wildlife Trafficking

Conservation Champion Arif Aliadi

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Celebrating World Wildlife Day 2020

Volume V January - March 2020

This newsletter is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this newsletter are the sole responsibility of Chemonics International and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

IN THIS EDITION:

Indonesia is considered a “mega-diverse” country, contributing, along with six other Asian countries, up to 70 percent of the globe’s biological diversity. While habitat loss threatens Indonesia’s wildlife, domestic and international trade of wildlife for food, exotic pets, or for their skin, fur, and other body parts poses a much more direct threat.

Much of the trade, whether domestic or international, is illegal, and Indonesia’s role as a source, destination and transshipment country is large and growing. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) in Jakarta serves as a hub for 87 international flight routes and for more than 34 regional airports that are spread across the archipelago. The air transport sector is a key channel for the illegal wildlife trade, as traffickers use airports as part of their sophisticated networks to transport wildlife and wildlife parts starting from regional airports that are close to forest habitats, through CGK and connecting with international flights to reach consumer markets in other countries. A recent report* puts Indonesia in the top-10 countries with the highest rates of wildlife trafficking in the air transportation sector.

The USAID Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species (ROUTES) project has found that when combined with other approaches, increasing the awareness of passengers, airport visitors, aviation staff, enforcement officers, freight forwarders, and shippers has shown to have

BIJAK BULLETIN

*https://routespartnership.org/industry-resources/publications/in-plane-sight, p.22

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an impact on the fight against wildlife trafficking in the air transportation sector.

In 2019, USAID BIJAK and airport management authority Angkasa Pura II agreed to engage in a series of collaborative activities to combat wildlife trafficking through Indonesia’s domestic and international airports. As part of that effort, in February 2020, BIJAK, airport management authority Angkasa Pura II (AP II) and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) launched a wildlife trafficking awareness-raising campaign in the Terminal 3 departure hall of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta. The campaign included three main elements: a photo exhibit, an interactive display showing common methods of wildlife smuggling, and the screening of two short animated videos on the airport’s closed-circuit digital TVs.

The photo exhibit featured large scale photos of 8 of Indonesia’s most trafficked protected species, courtesy of the Indonesian Wildlife Photographers, Planet Indonesia, and WCS Indonesia. Each photo was accompanied by a personal testimonial from the photographer about capturing the image, as well as the scientific name, morphology, threats,

The interactive display shows common modus operandi of wildlife smugglers, including concealing small animals and birds in their clothing and luggage.

World Wildlife Day 2020 (WWD2020), under the theme Sustaining all life on Earth, was an opportunity to celebrate how all wild animal and plant species are key components of the world’s biodiversity. USAID BIJAK observed WWD2020 by hosting a week-long social media campaign to raise awareness among more than1,700 followers and the general public of the important role that humans play in conserving plant and animal species to maintain healthy, biologically diverse ecosystems for all.

BIJAK used social media and leveraged its network of partners and followers to engage young Indonesians through daily posts, photos, cartoons, and contests on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The campaign featured photos and video clips of visitors interacting with BIJAK’s photo exhibit of protected species and the interactive wildlife trafficking display at Soekarno Hatta airport, with calls to action to save #IndonesianBiodiversity and #EndWildlifeTrafficking. It

also featured a conservation-themed crossword puzzle and a coloring contest highlighting key protected wildlife species.

“I think this is an attractive way to campaign and spread messages about environment conservation to your social media audience,” said Ratih Dewanti, one of the coloring contest winners whose Instagram story beat more than 40 other creative and beautiful artworks. “I look forward to BIJAK’s next competition!”

BIJAK’s WWD2020 social media posts were seen more than 37,000 times, by at least 10,000 people.

Celebrating World Wildlife Day 2020

clothing and luggage. Visitors were challenged by onsite facilitators to go through the mannequins’ clothing and luggage to find as many smuggled animals and animal parts as possible. A nearby information kiosk provided background information on the animals smuggled in the display, as well as other modus operandi commonly used by wildlife traffickers.

The short animated videos showed viewers 14 of the most commonly trafficked Indonesian wildlife species of, and wildlife trafficking red flags that travelers should be aware of when they are moving through airports. Both videos provided information on how to report suspicious behavior or suspected concealed wildlife to the Aviation Security authorities at the airport, as well as KLHK’s hotline on wildlife smuggling. The videos were screened on 16 closed-circuit digital TVs, which ran in a continuous loop for 24 hours/day with other airport public service announcements, from February 17 to March 17, 2020.

The exhibition successfully raised awareness of wildlife trafficking among passengers, airline and airport staff, and other visitors. More than 4,800 visitors were observed having significant interaction with the displays. Passersby were attracted by the large scale photos and the interesting interactive display, and were engaged in conversations with the onsite facilitators on the importance of protecting wildlife by reporting smuggling.

Karina Russell, an Indonesian-Canadian undergraduate student, expressed her enthusiasm for the exhibit, saying, “To have something like this forces people to open their minds about the state of Indonesia’s endangered species.”

Rini Saraswati Dewan, a flight attendant, said: “This is an excellent event. It increases our knowledge in helping to stop wildlife trafficking of Indonesia’s protected species. I hope one day, no one will smuggle Indonesia’s wildlife.”

Visitors also expressed their personal support by posting 156 comments in support of the campaign in the guestbook.

The wildlife trafficking campaign is part of BIJAK’s broader efforts to increase awareness of the illegal wildlife trade in Indonesia. The campaign is the second activity under a collaboration with AP II, a member of the Soekarno-Hatta Airport Forum (FORBATA), and KLHK to sensitize airport staff and passengers on wildlife trafficking issues.

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conservation status, smuggling data, and call to action for airport visitors to report suspected smugglers to KLHK’s protected species hotline by calling or whatsapping Jakarta’s Office for Natural Resources Conservation (BKSDA) at +62 0812 8964 3727.

The interactive display consisted of two life-sized mannequins dressed as travelers, with a variety of animals and animal parts concealed in their

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Protecting Indonesia’s species and their habitats requires an engaged public that is motivated to change personal behavior to support conservation efforts across the country. Growing up with technology and social media, the 63.4 million millennials* in Indonesia represent an untapped resource for environmental action. Around the world, millennials have used social media to rally around issues and leverage their social networks to reach, influence, and advocate for change on topics that they care about.

In 2018, USAID BIJAK surveyed more than 2,000 Indonesians across Indonesia’s 34 provinces to ask about a range of environmental issues. Across all topic areas, urban residents showed a better understanding of and greater concern for climate change, protected areas, and wildlife protection than rural Indonesians. The results also showed that the majority of respondents already have a favorable opinion of Indonesia’s national parks. The survey also revealed that the youngest respondents across all provinces are most concerned about the environment. These findings are consistent with the findings of the Deloitte Global Millennial Survey 2019, which showed that climate change and environmental protection ranked second on the list of topics that millennials are most concerned about after corruption in business and politics.

BIJAK is building on this concern and understanding by working with established social media influencers and civil society groups to co-design and spark an environmental movement among Indonesia’s youth. In March 2020, BIJAK hosted two focus group discussions (FGD) to better understand the challenges and opportunities that young Indonesians face in bridging the gap between knowledge and taking action to support environmental causes. Representatives of civil society organizations such as Hutan Itu Indonesia, Earth Hour Jakarta, the Biodiversity Warriors, and Club Sigma Biologi University of Indonesia participated.

“The meeting was fun, especially because the issue was the environment, something I am passionate about,” said Rimbun, a twelfth grader from Gonzaga High School, who participated enthusiastically in his first FGD. “After this event, I hope there are steps to invite youth so they can contribute to the environmental movement and create a real impact on society.”

The two days of intense discussions revealed that the spirit of environmentalism is strong among Indonesia’s youth, and their willingness to take action is high if the topic is trending and talked-about on social media. A common thread in both discussions was the connection between environmentalism and national pride, especially related to environmental causes that are

affecting people nation-wide, such as forest fires. BIJAK is using these insights to tailor its approach to

sparking the environmental movement based on how young Indonesians live, interact, behave, and make decisions. For example, because many Indonesian millennials maintain an active social media presence, texting, blogging, and posting on social media from home, calls to action should promote activities that youth can engage in from their homes and through their online and social media networks.

Now that BIJAK knows how to reach youth with messages to help bridge the knowledge-behavior gap, BIJAK is bringing together established Indonesian organizations that have been working separately with similar environmental goals, to form a coalition that can nurture and sustain a youth-environmental movement. The project will continue to work with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) and other partners to host youth-focused events (such as International Forest Day and National Conservation Day); raise public awareness of environmental issues; and work with bloggers, musicians, and artists who have an active social media presence to influence young Indonesians to take action to support the environment.

Young environmental leaders at the USAID BIJAK focus group discussion.

*https://en.tempo.co/read/1166812/report-89-1-millennials-optimistic-about-indonesian-diversity

Engaging Indonesian Youth on the Environment

When challenged to post photos of personal environmental actions on World Wildlife Day, Hutan Itu Indonesia posted photos of its young members planting 1,000 trees at Mount Salak, on BIJAK’s Instagram page.

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Improved Training Capacity Strengthens Conservation Management

Indonesia’s network of 552 Conservation Areas covers a combined 27.12 million hectares and serves an essential role in protecting flora and fauna in Indonesia’s remaining high conservation value areas.

However, Indonesia still faces serious challenges in managing its conservation areas and biodiversity. In many conservation areas, there are long-standing conflicts between communities and forest managers over wildlife poaching, illegal logging and encroachment. Resolving these serious environmental challenges is hindered by the limited capacity of conservation area staff, poor coordination between Government of Indonesia (GOI) agencies, and few budget resources allocated to handle them.

One of USAID BIJAK’s strategic approaches to improving conservation management is to increase the knowledge and skills of the GOI staff responsible for managing conservation areas at the national and sub-national levels. Since 2016, BIJAK has partnered with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) to develop standardized training curricula and materials to train GOI officials on conservation-related topics. Working with KLHK and other technical experts to develop the training modules and materials is one part of the challenge; the other is finding a way to ensure that the trainings will be used as intended. One solution is to work with Pusdiklat – KLHK’s education and training center to ensure that the training modules developed with BIJAK support become part of the institution’s official catalogue of training resources.

For example, in March 2020, a training curriculum and modules on protected species identification, developed by the Directorate of Biodiversity (KKH), Pusdiklat, and BIJAK, was officially added into Pusdiklat’s catalog of course resources, by decree. As a result, the new training is now the GOI’s official curriculum on the topic, and will be used to train government staff at relevant ministries to identify protected species and the modus operandi used by wildlife traffickers. In addition, KLHK directorates can use the training to help meet their annual key performance

Government of Indonesia officials can access the trainings developed with BIJAK support, using Pusdiklat’s online-learn-ing platform at http://elearning.menlhk.go.id/

indicators (KPI) targets, and can allocate budget resources to ensure that their staff can participate in the trainings.

In this example, the training materials are related to a multi-year effort by BIJAK and KKH to increase the number of species on the GOI’s list of protected species by enacting Ministerial Decree No.106/2018. The training will ensure that KLHK has the capacity to enforce the decree, by improving the knowledge and skills of GOI staff to identify the most trafficked protected species of mammals, birds, and herpetofauna.

“We greatly appreciate that the protected species identification curriculum training material, developed by Directorate KKH together with Pusdiklat and BIJAK, is included in the Pusdiklat system,” said Ibu Indra Exploitasia Semiawan, Director of KKH. “We will use this material to train KLHK officials and other government staff across ministries, Customs, Quarantine, Aviation Security, and the Office for Natural Resources Conservation (BKSDA). Once trained, the front line officers at major entry and exit points will be able to identify and handle live animals and animal parts detected during wildlife trafficking seizures.”

Other examples include Pusdiklat’s 2019 adoption of the training curriculum and module for the developing Zoning and Blocking Maps of Conservation Areas, developed by the Directorate of Nature Conservation Planning and Information (PIKA) with BIJAK support. The training covers spatial data management for geographic information system mapping and remote sensing, defining zoning and blocking criteria, spatial data modeling, and integrating zoning and blocking maps into One Map.

In January 2020, Pusdiklat formally adopted the training curriculum on how to implement the Directorate General of Nature Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE) Communications Strategy, developed by KSDAE with BIJAKsupport. KLHK will use the new program to train conservation area staff to conduct research, define target audiences, develop messages, select communications channels, and monitor the results of their efforts to engage the public and build support for national parks and conservation areas.

BIJAK will continue to work closely with KLHK to develop and formalize other training modules. Integrating these materials into Pusdiklat helps ensure the long-term sustainability on investments made in the professional development of staff in the environment sector.

A facilitator leads a discussion at a KSDAE/BIJAK workshop to train website administrators from 19 national parks on how to develop targeted public communications to implement the KSDAE Communications Strategy.

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Improved Monitoring for the Sustainable Trade of Sharks and Rays

Indonesia is home to at least 218 species of sharks and rays, twenty-six of which are considered to be of high economic value and are traded on national and international markets. Shark species from the Carcharhinidae, Lamnidae, Alopiidae, and Sphyrnidae families are sought after for their fins. These and other shark species are also valued for their other body parts including meat, skin, cartilage, teeth, jaws, and livers.

Since 2016, USAID BIJAK has partnered with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) to standardize the trade monitoring of sharks and rays. Last year, BIJAK worked with KKP to develop technical guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOP) for shark and ray catch documentation to be used by shark fisher folk, Government of Indonesia (GOI) officials, private sector traders and buyers at landing sites and the warehouses where they stock shark products. USAID BIJAK and KKP also developed technical guidelines for trade monitoring, including standard operating procedures for shark and ray trader registration, trade data collection, shark and ray product verification, and landing and trade data entry (including the number of sharks and rays landed, location of fishing grounds, types and volumes of shark and ray products traded, and their export destinations) into KKP’s Aquatic Species Utilization Information System.

The data are of critical importance for the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) to ensure that shark and ray species listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) are sustainably managed, according to species-specific catch and export quotas. In order to set catch and export quotas, LIPI first develops a non-detriment findings (NDF) analysis for each shark and ray species, which is a scientific review as to whether or not international trade would endanger the survival of the species in the wild. LIPI uses the NDF to establish science-based catch and export quotas that are enforced using the

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documentation and SOPs developed by KKP with BIJAK support.

In February 2020, BIJAK and KKP trained 48 Coastal and Marine Resource Management (BPSPL) staff and shark traders to monitor and report silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) landings in Tanjung Luar port, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province using the SOPs and technical guidelines developed last year. Tanjung Luar is known as one of the largest shark and ray landing ports in eastern Indonesia. Between 6,000 to 8,000, individual sharks are landed annually in Tanjung Luar, and 45 percent of them are silky sharks.

“We continue to collaborate with government agencies on coastal area conservation and the sustainable development of the province’s great shark and ray potential,” said Pak Lalu Wahyudi Adiguna, Head of Capture Fisheries Division, Marine and Fisheries Services (DKP) of NTB Province. “The shark and ray trade monitoring tools can help us expand our knowledge to ensure the sustainable utilization of these species. We hope to collect accurate data on the number of heads landed, its origin, and how many are exported and how many are traded in the domestic market.”

In the coming months, BIJAK and BPSPL will assess the effectiveness of the technical guidelines and SOPs for monitoring and reporting silky shark catch and identify ways they could be improved.

Establishing a robust reporting and monitoring system is a top priority for KKP.

Once the guidelines and SOPs developed by BIJAK and KKP are implemented across all of the six BPSPL offices across Indonesia, they will increase transparency in the shark and ray supply chain help the Government of Indonesia to guarantee the sustainability of the shark trade. In addition, they will help the GOI fulfill the commitment as a Parties to CITES to be able to ‘trace’ origin of Appendix II listed species back to the site of capture.

Tanjung Luar port, West Nusa Tenggara, is one of the largest shark and ray landing ports in Eastern Indonesia

Lembaga Alam Tropika Indonesia (LATIN) is a non-government organization that has continuously advocated and developed multi-stakeholder collaboration in forest management, including through conservation partnerships at conservation areas for almost three decades. Since 2018, USAID BIJAK and grantee LATIN have worked together to review existing conservation partnerships at national parks throughout Sumatra, Java, and East Nusa Tenggara, to identify best practices and successes that could inform the development of conservation partnerships in other national parks. LATIN’s Program Director, Pak Arif Aliadi, shares his insights with BIJAK on improving community engagement and developing meaningful conservation partnerships.

Tell us about yourself and how you became involved in forest conservation.I studied forest resources conservation as an undergraduate at IPB University, Bogor, and joined LATIN as a Field Staff immediately after graduation in 1991. My first field assignment was in Ujung Kulon National Park, where we developed a conservation partnership to help the Javanese rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) conservation project for three years. My next assignment was in Meru Betiri National Park (TNMB), where we started a conservation partnership with adjacent communities. These experiences have emboldened my support for community participation in conservation. I have been an avid hiker since my adolescent years, especially hiking through national parks. Nowadays, I mostly spend my time at home with my wife in Bogor as my adult daughter now lives with her family in Jakarta.

What are conservation partnerships, and why are they important?Conservation partnerships are a way for conservation area managers to cooperate with local communities so they can access certain protected lands for harvesting or production activities according to conservation principles. When a conservation area is established, conflicts with local communities are inevitable. In many cases, the communities have been there for generations before the parks existed. Conservation partnerships can solve these conflicts only if park managers can work closely with local stakeholders. For example, in TNMB, a conservation partnership established in 1997 helped end a long-running land conflict. Under the

partnership, local communities at Andongrejo, Curahnongko, Sanenrejo, Wonoasri, and Curahtakir villages have legal access to medicinal herbs within the park, in return, they must help rehabilitate the area. They used to patrol with the TNMB rangers, though it wasn’t sustainable due to lack of resources.

Why do you believe in the conservation partnership approach?Before, police were brought in to handle these types of conflicts and arrest community

members. They only increased friction between local communities and conservation area managers but provided no alternative livelihoods for these communities. Conservation partnerships have proven to be a practical solution to these conflicts.

What are the challenges of implementing conservation partnerships in Indonesia? And how do you overcome them? Some local communities have misunderstandings about conservation partnerships. Some of them think the approach is a way to legitimizing new land clearing within protected areas. Local communities must understand that the conservation partnership approach is one of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry’s (KLHK) main tools to resolve encroachments in conservation areas and understand that the partnerships can lead to improved conservation outcomes when implemented correctly. It’s also important for community members to understand their rights and responsibilities under conservation partnerships to be active, informed participants. We need to establish trust and open communication as early as possible. Early research done by conservation area managers to understand if land-use conflicts with local communities could potentially be resolved through a conservation partnership is essential.

What kind of impacts do you expect to see as a result of the collaboration with USAID BIJAK to support conservation partnerships in Indonesia?Establishing many new conservation partnerships across Indonesia will reduce conflicts between national parks and communities. Together with BIJAK, we socialize the concept to national park staff across the country and help conservation area managers understand and support its implementation. I expect to see greener forests, home to many flora and fauna, protected by the active support of local communities, also stronger communities and local economies around national parks, where they are empowered to utilize natural resources responsibly and sustainably. I have received positive feedback that the program has benefitted the communities and helped channel their voices. I am very optimistic that we can achieve this and that conservation partnerships will result in significant and long-lasting changes.

Conservation Champion Arif Aliadi

Pak Arif Aliadi (left) plants a tree seedling with a member of the local community group at Moroesi Waterfall, Kelimutu National Park, East Nusa Tenggara.

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Editor-in-chief: Symantha HolbenProduction Team: Danumurthi Mahendra, Anastasia Ramalo

Contributors: Dwi Aryo, Fazril/Hutan Itu Indonesia, Midaria Saragih, Nurhamdani,/BPSPL, Suci Landon, Syafrizaldi Jpang/LATIN

USAID BIJAK – Bangun Indonesia untuk Jaga Alam demi KeberlanjutanAIA Central, Level 41, Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav 48-A, Karet Semanggi, Jakarta Selatan 12930DKI Jakarta – Indonesia. Phone: +62 21 2253 5830 htts://www.bijak-indonesia.org @BIJAKonservasi

BIJAK Bulletin Editorial Team