policy brief-ppkmlb-english
TRANSCRIPT
Policy brief
Conservation or Compensation District?
Challenges in implementing the Kapuas Hulu conservation district througha communications approach
Vol. 1/2014
The Kapuas Hulu
District Head decree
No 144/2003
declared Kapuas Hulu
to be a conservation
district.
Executive Summary
The Kapuas Hulu District Head decree No. 144/2003
about the conservation district has been in place for ten
years, yet many consider that it has not been imple-
mented effectively. This is in part due to communica-
tion barriers between stakeholders. The regional gov-
ernment has experienced difficulties in building a com-
mon understanding of the contents and objective of the
conservation policy, limiting its success. The relation-
ship between the regional government and NGOs over
the management of the Betung Kerihun and Sentarum
Lake National Park is not harmonic, and four out of five
fractions of the Kapuas Hulu parliament object to the
conservation district regional plan – all factors hinder-
ing the successful roll out of the policy.
The Kapuas Hulu district government has not yet pro-
vided adequate information or developed solid under-
standings about the conservation district policy. The
policy proposed that there would be compensation in
the form of direct payments that could be obtained
from conservation efforts, but this has been difficult to
fulfil – however various forms of indirect compensation
have been gained from the Kapuas Hulu conservation
district through several projects. There are few oppor-
tunities for regional governments to participate in the
implementation of the conservation district policy. To
help the Kapuas Hulu district government increase the
implementation of the Kapuas Hulu district conserva-
tion policy, we propose a communications model.
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Photo: raising toman fish in nets in the Sentarum Lake.
Communications model for improving the perform-
ance of Kapus Hulu’s conservation policy
Steps for developing a communications strategy:
Identify the communications objectives: uniting per-
ceptions, building participation attitudes, or encour-
aging policy implementation.
Develop realistic strategies based on policy recom-
mendations.
Develop media strategies based on communications
resources available.
Develop a messaging strategy based on stakeholders
needs.
Communications strategies should consider the at-
tractiveness of the communicator (in line with com-
munications theories).
Context and Issue
The Kapuas Hulu decree No. 144/2003 was produced as
a result of injustice felt by local communities due to the
large area of forest zoned for conservation; 56.51% of
Kapuas Hulu district’s total land area. The large area of
conservation forest has reduced communities’ access to
the forests on which they depend. To respond to these
issues, the Kapuas Hulu District Head released the con-
servation district policy. WWF was an important initia-
tor of this policy. The conservation district policy was
developed with the aim of providing much needed com-
pensation to provide justice for Kapuas Hulu communi-
ties. This was seen as a compromise or win-win solution
between conservation and protecting community access
to land.
The conservation district policy also sought to prevent
or stop extractive activities or illegal natural resources
exploitation that causes forest and environmental de-
struction. However, in reality, to date forest destruction
in Kapuas Hulu district has continued, including in the
conservation district area. In July 2012, degraded land
in Kapuas Hulu district had increased by 288,073 hec-
tares.
Before the conservation district policy was released,
shifting agriculture, illegal logging and gold mining
without permits triggered environmental destruction.
Mining business permits (IUP) continued to be issued
even after the District Head decree no. 144/2003.
The district government has not yet developed a suit-
able communications model. Insufficient communica-
tion is one of the primary factors that hinders the effec-
tiveness of implementing the conservation district pol-
icy.
Findings
The problems hindering the implementation of the Ka-
puas Hulu conservation district are evidenced through
the following symptoms:
A lack of harmony between stakeholders, including
between the district government with the National
Park Agency, and local NGOs and the government.
A lack of understanding between stakeholders about
the definition of compensation as part of the conser-
vation district policy.
Low levels of parliamentary support for issuing a re-
gional regulation to implement the conservation dis-
trict.
Natural resources, primarily forests and land in the
Kapuas Hulu district, are being converted at a fast
pace. The total of area of degraded land reached
461,063 hectares or 15.5% of the total area of land
prior to releasing the District Head conservation dis-
trict decree is evidence of this fast rate of conserva-
tion. The release of the District Head decree has not
slowed land conversion - since the decree was re-
leased degraded land has increased by a further
288,073 hectares.
There are a number of difficulties with developing
partnerships and increasing participation of stake-
holders in the implementation of the conservation dis-
trict policy. One of the causes is ineffective communi-
cation policies that result in different perceptions as
well as conflict of interest between different sides in
terms of overseeing and managing conservation areas.
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A communications forum had been established but
was not effective. This is due in part to the dominance
of external parties, including several NGOs and aca-
demics from IPB, over the district government. Com-
munities and legislative members were not involved
at all.
One factor that has limited the implementation of the
conservation district policy is weak communication
strategies. The District Head conducted one-way com-
munication by providing information that emphasised
cash incentives for the regional government and com-
munities that would come from the conservation dis-
trict. The dialogue process did not actively involve
stakeholders.
The community don’t have sufficient knowledge or a
good understanding about the issues, the intentions and
the objectives of the conservation district policy.
When the district government submitted the conserva-
tion district regional plan to parliament it was rejected
by four of the five parliamentary factions. Although the
regional government has the legal strength to support
the policy, the regional government has not issued a
regulation to require the district government imple-
ment the conservation district in Kapuas Hulu.
Policy Options
1. Increase the intensity of communication to all inter-
ested stakeholders to unite perceptions and build
partnerships. Achieve agreement about the roles,
tasks and responsibilities of each party to support
implementation of the conservation district.
2. Form a communication forum for the conservation
district that exists of elements of the district govern-
ment, the National Park Agency, NGOs and academics
as well as community figures. The forum should aim
to achieve understanding of the management of areas
zoned for conservation and determine strategies for
increasing implementation of the conservation pol-
icy.
3. Increase the status of the District Head decree No.
144/2003 to a regional regulation designating the
Kapuas Hulu district as a conservation district.
Considering the current situation, the researchers rec-
ommend the first option, followed by the formulation of
a communication forum (the second option). The third
option will depend on local political dynamics and par-
liamentary leadership changes following the 2014 legis-
lative elections.
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Publisher:
Centre for Wetlands People and BiodiversityUniversity of Tanjungpura
Jalan Jendral Ahmad Yani
Pontianak, 78124
Telp./Fax : 0561-740191
E-mail : [email protected]
Researchers:
- Netty Herawati
- Mira Sophia Lubis
- Ahmad Tohardi
Cover Photo:
The Kapuas Hulu district landscape, photo taken from the air.
Photo by Netty Herawati.
A communication forum is needed to increase part-
nerships between stakeholders to implement the
conservation district policy. Alongside this conserva-
tion district information centre is required. The Ka-
puas Hulu District Head needs to release a decree to
formalise the formation of a communication and in-
formation forum for the conservation district.
For other relevant stakeholders, primarily NGOs and
the National Park Agency, there is a need to establish
enterprising dialogue and relationships that support
implementation of the conservation policy.
An academic study is needed to formulate a regional
regulation for the conservation district.
Recommendations
This policy brief was published by the
Centre for Wetlands People and
Biodiversity at the University of
Tanjungpura with support by the Asia
Foundation, and the UK Climate Change
Unit with assistance from Epistema
Institute.
The opinions and findings expressed in this
policy brief are those of the researchers
involved and do not reflect those of the Asia
Foundation, UKCCU or Epistema Institute.
Supported by: Funded by: