Through its Social Forestry (SF) programme, the Indonesian government can grant permits to communities to use and manage lands on state-forest- land (Kawasan Hutan). To accelerate the programme’s implementation, the government developed a map that indicates the areas that are potential or suitable for Social Forestry schemes. 

 

Tropenbos Indonesia explored criteria and methods to identify potential areas for Social Forestry in West Kalimantan Province with explicit attention to the feasibility for communities. We propose that the principles for identifying areas with potential for Social Forestry can be further improved by explicitly considering lands that have long been managed by local communities, for example as agroforests and mixed gardens, including those that fall within company concession areas.