Inland, in Sungai Gelam Village, Muaro Jambi Regency, the landscape tells a different but equally urgent story. Once lush peat swamps, parts of this 1,780-hectare Community Forest (HKm) have been degraded by drainage and overuse. Yet, within 50 hectares managed by the Multi Usaha Mandiri Cooperative, I-CAN and FINCAPES are cultivating another living laboratory — one that restores peatland function while re-energizing local economies.
Here, science and community co-design solutions. Two experimental blocks illustrate complementary approaches:
- Block 1 — dominated by ferns and sparse vegetation, undergoes intensive reforestation using native species such as Shorea balangeran and Dyera polyphylla.
- Block 2 — an existing agroforestry plot, focuses on enrichment planting and soil enhancement through liming and organic fertilization.
These interventions aim to restore hydrology, rebuild biodiversity, and strengthen sustainable livelihoods.
The program partners include Perkumpulan Gita Buana (implementation), IPB University and Universitas Jambi(technical expertise), and the Jambi Provincial Forestry Service alongside UPT KPHP Muaro Jambi (policy support).
Over a 2025–2028 timeline, the lab will conduct reforestation, hydrological rehabilitation, community training, and market linkage development, all monitored through scientific research and participatory evaluation.
At its center, the Multi Usaha Mandiri Cooperative is gaining new governance and financial management capacities, while gender inclusion and alternative livelihood development ensure that women and youth have a voice in the future of peatland restoration.
This initiative is a replicable model for peatland governance that integrates science, community empowerment, and inclusive development.
Expert Team:
- Prof. Dr. Ir. Sri Wilarso Budi R., M.S.
- Dr. Ir. Istomo, M.Si.
- Dr. Ir. Asmadi As’ad, M.Si.
- Dr. Ir. Leti Sundawati, M.For.Sc.
- Deya Akmalia
- Maulida Afiyah Heriyadi, S.E.
FINCAPES Project Leads:
- Mindawati Azmi
- Lambok Panjaitan
Implementation Partner:
- Perkumpulan Gita Buana (Heri Kuswanto, Executive Director)
Peatland Conservation Frontiers: Candidate Site in Sungai Buluh Protected Forest
Beyond active restoration sites, I-CAN and FINCAPES are also identifying candidate landscapes for future living laboratory development, places where strong conservation potential meets community presence.
One of these is the Sungai Buluh Protected Forest (HLG Sungai Buluh), a remaining expanse of tropical peatland nestled between the Mendahara and Lagan Rivers in Tanjung Jabung Timur Regency, Jambi.
Spanning several villages, including Pematang Rahim, Sungai Beras, and Sinar Wajo, the area encompasses both intact and degraded peatlands. Within it, Pematang Rahim Village manages about 1,185 hectares under a Village Forest (Hutan Desa) permit facilitated by KKI WARSI and formally recognized by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in 2017.
Home to more than 3,000 residents from diverse ethnic backgrounds, Pematang Rahim’s economy is rooted in farming, mostly oil palm, rubber, and areca nut, but its people also show remarkable entrepreneurship. Local women’s groups, supported by Dharma Wanita, have developed small-scale industries producing banana chips, banana toffee, and crafts made from banana stem fibers. Before the pandemic, women even launched a line of Liberica coffee-flavored banana chips and fern crisps, demonstrating the potential of value-added innovation.
Despite these achievements, challenges remain. The Village Forest Management Institution (LPHD) operates with limited funding and facilities, relying heavily on support from KKI WARSI, the Provincial Forestry Office, and KPH Unit XIV.
Encroachment, drainage canals, and weak institutional capacity threaten long-term conservation gains. Efforts such as ecotourism development through KUPS Meranti Rawa and Pokdarwis training have sparked interest, but sustainability depends on improving infrastructure, governance, and local awareness.
Strengthening community participation, especially among youth and women, and securing new sources of funding are key priorities to ensure that Sungai Buluh evolves into a resilient model of community-based peatland protection.
Mangrove Conservation Frontiers: Candidate Site in Pangkal Babu, Jambi
On Jambi’s eastern shore, where the rivers meet the sea, lies Tungkal I Village, home to Pangkal Babu, a small coastal settlement of about 250 residents, predominantly of Bugis descent. Here, mangroves once stretched over 11,000 hectares, but by the early 2000s, much of this green barrier was lost to pond and plantation development, triggering floods, erosion, and declining fisheries.
Since 2022, the tide has begun to turn. The Bakau Lestari Forest Farmer Group, supported by local NGO BioMac, the Center for Environmental Studies of Universitas Jambi (PSLH UNJA), and private partners such as PetroChina and Jeadstone Energy, has led an impressive comeback.
Through community-driven replanting and rehabilitation, over 300 hectares of mangroves have been restored. The results are visible: fish stocks are rising, flooding has eased, and the area now attracts around 300 visitors daily to the Mangrove Tourism Site, established through Village Regulation No. 1/2022.
The mangroves of Pangkal Babu now form a living classroom, a model of community-led restoration that links ecology with economy. Fisherfolk engage in silvofisheries, women’s groups create mangrove-based products, and youth lead eco-tourism and environmental education activities.
Baseline studies by IPB University and Universitas Jambi reveal growing public recognition of the mangroves’ ecological value and a deepening sense of ownership among residents. Yet challenges persist: waste management, women’s participation in decision-making, and external land-use pressures still need attention.