Kick-off Workshop in Jayapura (Papua) to use the MLA approach for achieving conservation in the Mamberamo Biodiversity Corridor.

In 2004, CIFOR in collaboration with Conservation International-Indonesia Papua Program and the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI) implemented a training to use the Multidisciplinary Landscape Assessment (MLA) in Mamberamo Watershed. The 20 participants came from different institutions: local government (BAPEDALDA = Regional Environment Impact Mitigation Agency; BKSDA = Natural Resources Conservation Agency), education institutions (University of Cenderawasih; University of Papua) and CI staff. The training intended to develop the capacity of locally based researchers and civil servants and to provide CI with information on the local priorities in Mamberamo. We also identified the importance of natural resources according to the local communities in two villages of Mamberamo: Papasena and Kwerba.

The skills of the participants were improved (two participants are now working with CI in Mamberamo) and our survey helped to build trust between CI and the local communities, and provided a large amount of data on the natural resources as well as the perceptions of communities about the landscape and its resources. However, the survey was limited to two villages only and a further follow-up was planned. It was decided that new activities would include expansion to and adaptation of the MLA approach in other villages in the Mamberamo region, as well as a follow-up phase in Papasena and Kwerba, building on the survey results and focusing on practical conservation aspects.

As part of the new set of activities, a kick-off workshop was held in Jayapura the 10 and 11 May 2006, to define the specific needs of each stakeholder, to propose adaptations of the methods and new activities related to conservation, and to discuss about the possible new location to work in  Mamberamo Watershed.

Twenty seven participants (see table-1) coming from various institutions attended the workshop: Regional Development Planning Agency (BAPPEDA), Forestry District Service (Dinas Kehutanan dan Pertanian Tingkat Kabupaten), the BKSDA, the BAPEDALDA, lecturers from University of Cenderawasih and University of Papua, a local NGO (YAPEMBRA), the Traditional Council of Mamberamo Raya (Dewan Adat), the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI), CI Papua staff, previous MLA participants, and CIFOR.

Publications:

Liswanti, N., Padmanaba, M. Boissière, M. 2006. Penerapan MLA (Multidisciplinary Landscape Assessment) untuk mencapai tujuan konservasi di koridor keanekaragaman hayati Mamberamo. Report to CI Papua Program, Jayapura, Indonesia.