EMPOWERING PEOPLES OF TRIPA PEATSWAMP FOREST (TPSF) IN ACEH PROVINCE : AN ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY – BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT

Authors : Monalisa (UNSYIAH)*, Fikarwin Zuska (USU), Zulkifli
Nasution (USU) and Delvian (USU)
*Lecture of Agribusiness Departement of Faculty of Agriculture, Syiah
Kuala University (UNSYIAH) – Indonesia
PhD Candidate of Environmental Management and Natural Resource
Science North Sumatera University (USU)
EMPOWERING PEOPLES OF TRIPA
PEATSWAMP FOREST (TPSF) IN ACEH
PROVINCE : AN ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY –
BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT
International Conference of Multidisiplin Research 2014 Madina Hotel, 16 – 18 Oktober 2014 Medan -
Indonesia

Tripa Peatswamp Forest (TPSF)
Tripa Peatswamp forest/Rawa Tripa (TPSF) is a
peat forest, total area 62.0000 ha in Nagan Raya
District and Aceh Barat Daya (ABDYA) District,
Aceh Province with diverse ecological benefits as
well as high content of carbon that plays an
important role in minimizing the effect of
greenhouse gas on earth. Yet, the preservation of
ecosystem in the region is currently threatened
due to the reduction of peatland cover area and
other environmental damages. One of the causes
of the reduction of the total area of the region is
the plantation production activity done by several
oil-palm plantation companies operating in theInternational Conference Multidisiplin Research 2014 Madina Hotel, Medan - Indonesia

Natural Resources in Tripa Peatswamp
Forest (YEL Research and UNSYIAH,2008)
Consist of 300
vegetation which
is high Carbon
Stock
Animals: Orang
Utan (Pongo abelli)
, Beruang Madu
(Bear), Harimau
Sumatera
(Sumatran Tigers)
Consist of
more than 40
Specific
(Local) Fish
International Conference Multidisiplin Research 2014 Madina Hotel, Medan - Indonesia

Deforestration in Tripa Peatswamp Forest
1949-1999
60%
covered by
forest
2007
51%
covered by
forest
2008
24%
covered
by forest

There are some companies which
are running in Tripa peatswamp
forest :
 PT. Gelora Sawita Makmur
 PT. Kalista Alam
 PT. Patriot Guna Sakti Abadi
 PT. Cemerlang Abadi
 PT. Agra Para Citra (at 2007, PT. Astra
Agro Lestari take over the management of
PT. Agra Para Citra)
International Conference Multidisiplin Research 2014 Madina
Hotel, Medan - Indonesia

TPSF Nowadays
Conditions
 Climate Change
 High of Green House Gasses
 Floods (every year)
 Dry Land
 The habitat of animal was destroted
 Subsidence 5 cm/year (Satgas REDD, 2012)
 Forest Fire

The vision and mission in the recovery of Tripa
peatswamp forest has been formulated by REDD
officers + such as the following (REDD
officers,2012):
 Vision: The recovery of turf land condition of
Tripa peatswamp forest into effective and efficient
use for the sake of environment and the
prosperity of the people.
 Mission : (1). Short-term mission: It is with
duration for 3 years, and intended to improve
the condition of ecology and to prevent the
damaged of Tripa peatswamp forest and (2)
Medium term mission (with duration for more
than 5 years) to manage again the treatment on
turf forest of Tripa peatswamp forest in order to
continue the program of short term mission.

Stakeholders at TPSF
Province
and District
Government
NGO
SATGAS
REDD
Universities
communities
Palm oil
companies

Multistakeholder of TPSF
Province Government :
Gubernur,Bapedal, Dishutbun,
BPKEL,BP2T
District : Nagan Raya, Abdya
dan Dishutbun NR & ABDYA
NGOs such as; TKPRT,
WALHI, YESA, YEL, PAN
ECO, WWF, dll
Palm Oil Companies : Gelora
Sawita Makmur, Kallista Alam,
Patriot Guna Sakti Abadi,
Cemerlang Abadi, Astra Agro
Lestari (Surya Panen Subur)
Central Government :
KemenLH, Kehutanan,
Pertanian, BPN, Satgas
REDD

METHOD
 The writing of this article follows descriptive
method referring to the literature study using
the primary and secondary data. The primary
data was taken from related parties who had
the role to secure the rehabilitation of TPSF,
the results of Focus Group Discussion
(FGD)and seminar as well as workshop
related to the safety action of Rawa Tripa.
Whereas, the secondary data was taken from
literature reviews and various reports about the
rehabilitation action of TPSF and the
damaged of environment in Tripa peatland.
The data was then collected and analyzed
qualitatively.International Conference Multidisiplin Research 2014 Madina

What is the background of environmental
movement in TPSF ?
The background of the emergence of Rehabilitation action
movement are as the effect of damaged environment
occurring in Tripa peatswamp forest area, the occurrence of
degradation and deforestation causing the reduced of
animals and plants quality habitat and also some
vegetations, and particularly those animals and vegetation
with endemics. Basuki Wasis , the expert on environment
from IPB in media online Aceh Terkini issued dated July 5,
2013, stated that turf burning and canals manufacturing in
Tripa peatswamp forest causes the reduction of soil
reduction (subsidence) for 10 – 20 cm , so the area will be
susceptible to flood. Rehabilitation, revitalization and
conservation of ecosystem of Tripa peatswamp forestand the
sustainable management of human resources and
environment of Tripa peatswamp forest is also as the reason
of forming Rehabilitation action movement.

 Since the issuance of mandate from Kuntoro
as chairman of National REDD in Indonesia
officers concerning with Tripa peatswamp
forest rehabilitation action, some institutions
focus on the action for environment
rehabilitation of TPSF. There are some
institution who cares for the environment such
as : Satgas REDD, Lembaga Swadaya
Masyarakat (LSM)/NGOs, Tim Koalisi
Penyelamatan Tripa peatswamp
forest(TKPRT) and Forum Penyelamatan
Rawa Tripa (Tripa Peatswamp Rehabilitation
Coalition) .

 The rehabilitation action for Tripa peatswamp
forest from civil society was firstly pioneered by
Tim Koalisi Penyelamatan Tripa peatswamp
forest(TKPRT). The movement was started from
2008. TKPRT was formed as the response on the
conflict between the local community and
company (P.T. Kalista Alam). The chronological of
safety action for Tripa peatswamp forest by
TKPRT are such as; 1) produced one sheet
stating the safety action for Tripa peatswamp
forest(in 2009) and 2) the people from 21
villages (gampong) dated June 5, 2010 issuing
the petition for the acceleration of saving action
for Tripa peatswamp forest(TKPRT Presentation,International Conference Multidisiplin Research 2014 Madina Hotel, Medan - Indonesia

Besides TKPRT, at the present time REDD officer also
prepare Rehabilitation Forum for Rawa Tripa. Based on the
results of discussion in Policy Decision Makers dated 19 –
20 February 2013 , the participants of workshop agreed to
form Rehabilitation Forum (Coalition) for Tripa peatswamp
forest and some are selected as Initiator Forum. They are:
 July Ermiansyah Putra from PENA Foundation (Forum
Coordinator)
 Nyaksih Phaisal from PAPAN Foundation
 Samsuri (public figure from Southwest Aceh District/ head of
Mukim)
 Ibduh (public figure from Nagan Raya District/ Head of
Gampong or Village)
 Heryanti N (Representative of Local Government of Nagan
Raya District)
 Zakaria (PT.SPS II)
 Sahrul (Leuser Internasional Foundation /YLI)
 Monalisa (academician from Syiah Kuala University)

There are some tasks to do by the initiator forum
such as:
 Preparing the concept draft for rehabilitation
action for Tripa peatswamp forest which will be
delivered to local government and community.
 Facilitating the forming of management in the
forum in regency level and Gampong (Village)
 Socializing the importance of maintaining natural
resources and environment to local people.
 Facilitating various meeting with multi
stakeholders.
 Encouraging the involvement of some elements
in rehabilitation action movement including
police and army and local people.

The barrier factors for the rehabilitation action
movement of the environment are such as
the following:
 Lack of mutual commitment
 The difference on the needs and paradigm
 Slow coordination between province
government and regency
 Long distance or location
 Communication, different perception among
those stakeholders of Tripa peatswamp forest
 The results of some researches as the
justification for Tripa peatswamp forest area.

SWOT Table For TPSF Rehabilitation Movement
Strenghtness
Mutual initiative
The recent condition of Tripa
peatswamp forest
Status of license of PT. Kallista
Alam to area conservation for
1605 ha
Weaknesses
Lack of commitment
Slow coordination between
central goverment province and
regency
The distance or location
Measureable research results
Opportunist
Eco- populist ideology
Support from Central government,
regional and local people
Idea harmonious
REDD concept and global issue
Threat
The difference between needs and
paradigm
The way of communication, different
perception among those stakeholders
of Tripa peatswamp forest

Whereas, some support factors for the
success of rehabilitation action movement
can be such as the following:
 The existence of mutual initiatives
 The recent condition of Tripa Peatswamp
Forest
 The support from central government,
Regional and local people
 Idea harmonious
 The establishment of area status
 The participation of community

CONCLUSION
There are some obstacles found in
environment safety action based on the
community such as lack of mutual
commitment to maintain and conserve the
area. In addition, the difference on the needs
and paradigm from various parties involved in
the preservation of Tripa peatswamp forestis
often as the obstacle to support the
effectiveness of environment safety action
movement. There are some factors
supporting the success of environment safety
action such as harmonious and
appropriateness idea and agenda from those
parties performing the movement and theInternational Conference Multidisiplin Research 2014 Madina Hotel, Medan - Indonesia

SUGGESTIONS
/RECOMENDATION
There should be comprehensive study on
mapping the environment safety action for
Rawa Tripa, and it is expected as one model
of environment safety action movement for
reaching the success of the conservation of
environment.

DOCUMENTATION OF TPSF
REHABILITATION MOVEMENT

Meeting with Secretary of Nagan Raya District
June 5th 2013

First meeting of MultiStakeholder of TPSF Rehabilitation Forum at
Transparency International (TI) Office in Banda Aceh , Maret 2nd -3 2013

EMPOWERING PEOPLES OF TRIPA PEATSWAMP FOREST (TPSF) IN ACEH PROVINCE : AN ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY – BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT

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EMPOWERING PEOPLES OF TRIPA PEATSWAMP FOREST (TPSF) IN ACEH PROVINCE : AN ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY – BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT