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 : wetlands_untan@yahoo.or.id

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: