PT Freeport Indonesia

Freeport and Government Call On Local Residents to Join in Rehabilitating Watersheds

20 July 2024

Jayapura, 20 July 2024 - PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), in conjunctionwithMamberamo Watershed & Protected Forest Management Agency (BPDASHL), has called on local communities to become involved in rehabilitating watershed areas (DAS), among others through participating in training to receive technical guidance on maintaining watershed areas (DAS).

“The DAS Rehabilitation implemented by PTFI begins with activities for the planting and maintenance of vegetation, including providing technical guidance on planting and maintenance (Bimtek P2). Our expectation is for local communities who join the planting groups to be edified on vegetation planting and maintenance techniques towards ensuring a successful DAS Rehabilitation effort,” PTFI Environmental Vice President Gesang Setyadi said.

A Bimtek P2 activity took place in the Kusu Kusu Bonggrang DAS rehabilitation area in Kampung Nambom, Ketut District in Jayapura Regency, Papua, on Saturday (13/7). This site was a vegetation planting location in 2022 and covers an area of 594 hectares. BPDAS Mamberamo delivered technical guidance on monitoring vegetation maintenance, with the activity encompassing evaluation of the work program of the wildfire mitigation group Masyarakat Peduli Api (MPA) that was established by PTFI together with Papua Province Forestry and Environment Office.

"We also monitored plant growth development using drones for geotagging of vegetation and sampling of plant growth percentages,” Gesang informed.

DAS Rehabilitation

Gesang elucidated, DAS or watershed rehabilitation is aimed at restoring and protecting and conserving forest areas, which act as living buffers. In the long term, such activity will also serve to boost the economy of local communities, with the produce yielded from planting adding economic value for their benefit.

The Forestry and Environment Ministry’s Head of Mamberamo Watershed & Protected Forest Management Agency (BPDASHL, Irwan Valentinus Sihotang said the planting activity for rehabilitation of watersheds is mandatory for PTFI, as a requirement set out in the IPPKH leasehold of forest area license the company had obtained for its mining operation and production and auxiliary facilities activities.

“90 percent of the trees planted are successfully thriving. Freeport and Papua Province Forestry and Environment Office have even succeeded in establishing a wildfire mitigation group, Masyarakat Peduli Api (MPA),” Irwan said.

PHOTO	CAPTION
	A representative of the wildfire mitigation group Masyarakat Peduli Api (MPA) demonstrating use of a jet shooter for wildfire fighting, in the Kusu Kusu Bonggrang DAS rehabilitation area in Kampung Nambom, Kemtuk District in Jayapura Regency, Papua,
	PTFI representative Napoleon Sawai, PTFI DAS Rehabilitation Program Coordinator Dendy Sofyandy, and Forestry and Environment Ministry’s Head of Mamberamo Watershed & Protected Forest Management Agency (BPDASHL) Irwan Valentinus Sihotang observing planting activity during DAS rehabilitation in Kusu Kusu Bonggrang, Kampung Nambom, Kemtuk District, Jayapura Regency, Papua
	Forestry and Environment Ministry’s Head of Mamberamo Watershed & Protected Forest Management Agency (BPDASHL) Irwan Valentinus Sihotang and members of the DAS Rehabilitation group conducting vegetation geotagging and plant growth percentage sampling in Kusu Kusu Bonggrang, Kampung Nambom, Kemtuk District in Jayapura Regency, Papua
	Forestry and Environment Ministry’s Head of Mamberamo Watershed & Protected Forest Management Agency (BPDASHL) Irwan Valentinus Sihotang monitoring and directing vegetation planting using drones, in Kusu Kusu Bonggrang, Kampung Nambom, Kemtuk District in Jayapura Regency, Papua
	Forestry and Environment Ministry’s Head of Mamberamo Watershed & Protected Forest Management Agency (BPDASHL) Irwan Valentinus Sihotang and members of the DAS Rehabilitation group instructing and motivating the wildfire mitigation group Masyarakat Peduli Api (MPA) during DAS rehabilitation in Kusu Kusu Bonggrang, Kampung Nambom, Kemtuk District in Jayapura Regency,Papua