Strong Forests Depend on Strong Community Governance

Lessons from Indonesia on Building Accountability, Trust, and Local Leadership for Lasting Forest Conservation

On a Saturday morning in late January, the hall of Madrasah Diniyah Takmiliyah Ibnul Amin in Batampang gradually filled with people. Members of the Village Forest Management, or LPHD, sat alongside village officials, customary leaders, representatives of the Village Consultative Body, and community members.

A day earlier, a similar meeting had taken place in Batilap. Different village, same purpose. Community members gathered to reflect on a year of managing their forest and to agree on priorities for the year ahead.

These were not ceremonial gatherings. They were village meetings held to present and review LPHD’s annual accountability. In both villages, 2025 marked a period of institutional strengthening within the Gerbang Barito REDD+ Project. What became visible in these meetings was not only progress in structure, but a shift in how governance is practiced collectively.

LPHD in Batilap and Batampang hold formal mandates to manage extensive areas of village forest. Translating that mandate into consistent and accountable management takes time, shared effort, and continuous learning.

At the beginning of 2025, coordination was still largely informal. Meetings were held, but documentation was not always consistent. Roles were defined, but not yet evenly understood across the organization.

Over the course of the year, this began to change. Through ongoing facilitation and collaboration, LPHD strengthened the use of their Articles of Association and Bylaws (AD/ART) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) as working references. Meetings became more structured, agendas clearer, minutes recorded, and decisions documented.

These shifts may appear administrative. In practice, they are foundational. REDD+ implementation depends on processes that are transparent, traceable, and aligned with safeguard commitments. Governance is not only about decisions, but about how those decisions are recorded, understood, and carried forward.

In Batilap, this process also became part of collective learning. Operational funds were provided at regular intervals to enable meetings, coordination, and field activities. When reporting was submitted later than scheduled, the next disbursement was also delayed. During the meeting, this was discussed openly.

The clarification that followed reframed the process. Financial reporting was not positioned as a requirement imposed from outside, but as part of strengthening internal systems of accountability. Managing operational funds becomes a way to build practical experience in transparent bookkeeping and responsible oversight. Once reporting was completed, disbursement continued, and activities moved forward.

At the annual meeting, financial reports were presented transparently to the community. The process continues to improve, but it has established a foundation of openness and shared responsibility. These discussions reflect a broader shift. Governance is not fixed. It develops through dialogue, reflection, and adjustment. Internal procedures are reviewed to ensure they remain relevant and workable within the village context.

Throughout 2025, institutional strengthening extended beyond documentation. It included leadership development, evaluation of the annual work plan, and preparation for the following year. Patrol teams were organized, forest protection activities were carried out, boundary markers were installed, and meetings were held more regularly, with periodic evaluation. These actions connect governance systems with day-to-day management of the forest.

At the same time, challenges remain. Budget limitations affected the implementation of some activities. Participation continues to fluctuate alongside economic demands. Administrative practices are still being strengthened.

What has changed is how these challenges are approached. They are discussed openly, documented, and carried into future planning. By the end of the year, LPHD in both villages demonstrated clear progress. Organizational structures are more defined, supervisory roles are functioning more consistently, work plans are more realistic, and documentation practices are improving.

More importantly, governance is increasingly understood as a shared responsibility. Village meetings are no longer seen as a requirement to be fulfilled, but as spaces where decisions are explained, discussed, and collectively agreed upon.

Forest protection in Gerbang Barito is often described through measurable outcomes. Behind those outcomes is a process that is less visible, communities working together to strengthen how decisions are made, recorded, and carried forward.

This process is gradual. It requires consistency, trust, and continued learning.

Through this ongoing work, Batilap and Batampang are strengthening governance systems that sustain forest protection and reinforce community-led climate action.