The South Kalimantan Provincial Government (Pemprov Kalsel), through the South Kalimantan Forestry Office, in collaboration with GGGI, held a “Focused Group Discussion on the Study of Payments of Ecosystem Services for the Sultan Adam Forest Park: Benchmark Study Results, Proposed Business, and Institutional Models” in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, on January 13, 2022.

The discussion is the final stage of an initial study conducted since June 2021 as technical supports from GGGI to Pemprov Kalsel in developing the payments for ecosystem services (PES) project at Sultan Adam Grand Forest Park (Tahura Sultan Adam). Furthermore, to support one of the missions of Pemprov Kalsel in developing local natural resource-based regional economic competitiveness by paying attention to environmental sustainability and obtaining funding opportunities from the green sectors.

As a result of the discussion, stakeholders as the beneficiaries of the natural resources of Tahura Sultan Adam agreed to contribute to the sustainability of water resources in Tahura Sultan Adam, which is part of the Meratus Mountains geopark area, one of the strategic areas for natural resources in South Kalimantan.

On the same occasion, the Regional Secretary of South Kalimantan, Mr. Roy Rizali Anwar, conveyed the high commitment of South Kalimantan to the Green Revolution Movement despite budget constraints and climate change issues. He added that to realize this idea, we need program innovation and financing and the participation of various stakeholders, such as in the Tahura Sultan Adam PES development plan, which is being studied by Pemprov Kalsel together with GGGI.

Director of Conservation Forest Environmental Services Utilization (PJLHK) Mr. Nandang Prihadi and representatives of the Directorate of Environmental Impact Prevention for Regional and Sector Policies (PDLKWS) also attended this event as representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) of the Republic of Indonesia. In addition, relevant agencies and institutions in Pemprov Kalsel and Banjar Regency, MoEF Technical Implementation Units (UPT KLHK), academia, community forums in Tahura, representatives from state-owned and regional-owned enterprises, private sectors that utilize natural resources, especially water resources in Tahura Sultan Adam were also present.