Preserving Village Forest Area, Boundary Sign Installation Carried Out in Muara Baru Village
Pontianak, As part of efforts to conserve forests and raise community awareness about the importance of environmental protection, PT Graha Agro Nusantara assisted the residents of Muara Baru Village, Kubu Raya District in carrying out boundary demarcation and installing signboards. The initiative aims to protect the local village forest area.
The installation of boundary markers and information signboards in Muara Baru Village Forest was conducted in mid-April. This activity is a follow-up to a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and socialization event on village forest protection and security that took place in mid-February. The FGD concluded with the formation of a joint team tasked with marking the boundaries of the Muara Baru Village Forest.
Since the Village Forest Management Rights were granted to the Muara Baru Village Forest Management Institution (LPHD) in 2021, boundary marking has been carried out collaboratively by the Kubu Raya Forest Management Unit (KPH), Muara Baru Village Military Command (Babinsa), representatives of the LPHD, the Muara Jaya Farmers Group, and PT GAN.
To support the implementation, PT GAN facilitated the activity by providing 42 boundary markers and 12 signboards, which were strategically installed across the Muara Baru Village Forest, covering approximately 2,726 hectares, in accordance with the Decree of the Minister of Environment and Forestry No. SK.1537/MENLHK-PSKL/PKPS/PSL.0/3/2021, dated March 30, 2021, concerning the Granting of Village Forest Management Rights to LPHD Muara Baru, Sungai Raya Sub-district, Kubu Raya Regency.
The signboards were placed in areas identified as vulnerable to land ownership conflicts, forest encroachment, and in locations near public access routes and residential areas.
Erwin Irawan, a representative of KPH Kubu Raya, stated that installing boundary markers is an obligation that must be fulfilled following the issuance of the Village Forest Management Approval Decree.
"We prioritize marking in high-risk areas so the community can understand the boundaries of village forest management. It’s also part of our educational and awareness efforts to involve the public in protecting forest areas," he explained.
S. Penu, a representative from Babinsa Muara Baru, also expressed appreciation for the activity."The installation of boundary markers and signboards is essential so that the community understands the protected boundaries. This supports area security and fosters order in land use,” he said.
In addition to strengthening legal and technical aspects of management, the boundary demarcation serves as a pre-conditioning activity aimed at increasing public awareness of the forest’s ecological roles – as a provider of environmental services, water system buffer, microclimate regulator, and a source of non-timber forest product-based livelihoods.
