Developing Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Community Livelihoods
Promoting sustainable community livelihoods through environmentally friendly enterprises, local innovation, and forest conservation.
6 min read
Yayasan Operasi Wallacea Terpadu (OWT), through the TFCA Kalimantan program, has supported communities in Kelay Subdistrict, Berau Regency, East Kalimantan, in developing sustainable and environmentally friendly livelihood opportunities. The initiatives focus on utilizing locally available natural resources, reducing waste, strengthening community skills, and creating economic opportunities while supporting forest conservation and community empowerment. Through training, technical assistance, and support for local community groups, OWT has facilitated several livelihood initiatives, including oyster mushroom cultivation, village nurseries, pepper cultivation, mangar leaf tea production, plastic waste crafts, and ecotourism development in Sungai Lesan Protected Forest (HLSL).
Turning Sawdust Waste into Oyster Mushroom Cultivation
The timber-processing industry in Kelay Subdistrict generates substantial quantities of sawdust, which has often accumulated without being put to productive use. This waste can create environmental problems, despite its potential to serve as a growing medium for edible mushrooms. To address this issue, OWT introduced oyster mushroom cultivation as an alternative livelihood opportunity for local communities. The initiative began with training for the women's group of the Family Welfare Movement (PKK) in Sidobangen Village, as part of efforts to strengthen women's economic empowerment. In addition to mushroom cultivation, OWT provided training in mushroom spawn production, covering the F0, F1, and F2 stages. The group also established working responsibilities for spawn production, growing medium preparation, mushroom cultivation, maintenance, and harvesting. The women of the Sidobangen PKK group have since developed skills in oyster mushroom cultivation and spawn production. To support the group's business development, the village government allocated village funds for the construction of a mushroom growing house (kumbung jamur) and a spawn production room. The group has also begun developing mushroom-based food products, including mushroom chips and other processed foods. These products are expected to support the development of ecotourism in Sungai Lesan Protected Forest by providing local culinary options for visitors.
Establishing Village Nurseries and Seedling Production
The availability of high-quality seedlings is a key factor in successful planting and restoration activities. Quality seedlings need to be healthy, adaptable to new environments, and capable of growing well after being planted in the field. Through the TFCA Kalimantan program, OWT provided training and technical assistance to communities in assisted villages to produce quality seedlings using both generative methods, through seeds, and vegetative propagation techniques. The training covered timber trees, fruit trees, and plantation crops. Village nurseries were established as local seedling production centers, equipped with facilities such as seed germination areas, growing medium preparation spaces, seedling beds, work shelters, and watering systems.
These nurseries serve several purposes: supplying seedlings for community gardens, generating income through seedling sales, supporting forest and land rehabilitation, and providing learning opportunities for local communities and students. One example is the Makmur Jaya II Farmers Group, which developed its seedling production skills and established cooperation with PT Berau Coal to supply native tree seedlings from Sungai Lesan Protected Forest for land rehabilitation activities. The group applied techniques involving the collection of naturally regenerated seedlings from the forest. The nursery program also introduced various propagation techniques, including natural seedling collection, fruit tree grafting, fruit tree air layering using cocopeat, agarwood cuttings, and single-node pepper cuttings with one leaf. These activities have helped expand local knowledge beyond the rubber budding techniques previously practiced by some community members.
Expanding Pepper Cultivation
Pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is a high-value spice crop with an important role in international trade. Although local communities in Kelay Subdistrict showed considerable interest in cultivating pepper due to its economic potential and the availability of suitable land, access to affordable seedlings and knowledge of propagation techniques had been major constraints. OWT addressed these challenges by introducing pepper propagation techniques through practical training at village nurseries. One of the techniques introduced was vegetative propagation using single-node cuttings with one leaf, a method that had not previously been familiar to the local community. As their skills improved, several members of the farmers' groups began producing pepper seedlings independently and selling them. This initiative has created opportunities for local income generation while strengthening community capacity to develop agricultural livelihoods using locally available land and resources.
Developing Ecotourism in Sungai Lesan Protected Forest to Support Conservation and Community Livelihoods
Ecotourism has emerged as a sustainable approach to connecting environmental conservation with community well-being. By developing nature-based tourism that prioritizes ecological sustainability, economic benefits, and social acceptance, protected forest areas can provide long-term value for both nature and local communities. The Wallacea Terpadu Operations Foundation (OWT), in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the West Berau Forest Management Unit (KPHP Berau Barat), facilitated discussions to explore ecotourism opportunities in Sungai Lesan Protected Forest (HLSL), Berau Regency, East Kalimantan. The initiative included a meeting between Dr. Tim Coles, Director of Operation Wallacea (Opwall), an international ecotourism operator based in the United Kingdom, and the Regent, Vice Regent, and Head of the Berau Regency Tourism Office. The meeting aimed to secure government support and discuss plans to integrate scientific ecotourism in HLSL with marine tourism on Derawan Island. This approach drew inspiration from ecotourism initiatives in Southeast Sulawesi, developed since 1995, which connected scientific ecotourism in Lambusango Forest, Buton Regency, with marine tourism in Wakatobi Regency. With positive support from the Berau Regency Government, HLSL officially became a new destination marketed by Opwall, with the first Opwall expedition season planned for June–July 2019.
The development of HLSL ecotourism aims to generate benefits for communities in the four villages surrounding the protected forest: Lesan Dayak, Sidobangen, Merapun, and Muara Lesan. In addition to supporting forest conservation and biodiversity protection, the initiative is expected to create business opportunities and encourage greater community participation in tourism activities. To support this development, OWT outlined several strategies, including promoting HLSL through posters, leaflets, websites, social media, and videos. Strengthening ecotourism institutions and building local capacity were also key priorities. Training opportunities were proposed for local tourism operators, tour guides, homestay managers, and handicraft producers to help communities participate more effectively in the tourism sector. Partnerships with travel agencies and tourism operators on Derawan Island were encouraged to connect HLSL with an established tourism destination. Collaboration with KPHP and local government agencies, including the Tourism Office, Transportation Office, and Kalimarau Airport management, also formed part of the strategy to expand the destination’s visibility. Local culture was another important component of the ecotourism experience. Communities could showcase their traditions through cultural festivals, traditional houses, locally inspired homestays, and handicrafts such as mandau and Dayak hats. Traditional welcome dances and cultural performances for visiting groups could further enrich the visitor experience while creating additional income opportunities for local residents.
Several potential ecotourism activities were identified for HLSL and its surrounding areas. One of the flagship attractions was the Lesan River Tour, a return boat journey from Lesan Dayak Village to Leja Station, taking approximately four hours, including lunch. To improve visitor comfort, OWT proposed improvements to boat facilities, particularly seating arrangements and maneuverability, enabling visitors to observe wildlife and take photographs more easily. Other proposed activities included Lesan Jungle Trekking, allowing visitors to explore the forest and observe large trees, and birdwatching in forest-edge and ecotone areas. Village tours would introduce visitors to local culture and community-based initiatives supported by OWT. Visitors could also take part in hands-on activities such as traditional weaving, preparing mushroom cultivation bags, and learning about plant nurseries. Kayaking in non-motorized boats was another potential activity. Meanwhile, opportunities for orangutan observation were explored through a proposed collaboration with the Center for Orangutan Protection (COP) in Merasa Village. Since HLSL requires approximately two to three hours of travel from Kalimarau Airport and four to five hours from Derawan Island’s port, OWT developed the concept of multi-day ecotourism packages. Proposed options included two days and one night or three days and two nights, combining several activities into a single visitor experience. Package pricing was also considered in relation to different target markets, including young travelers, families, and older visitors. A portion of the revenue from each visitor was intended to contribute to village funds.
The development of ecotourism in Sungai Lesan Protected Forest offers an opportunity to demonstrate a community-based approach to protected forest management. By integrating biodiversity conservation with local economic development and cultural preservation, ecotourism can strengthen community involvement in protecting the forest while diversifying livelihood opportunities. Through collaboration among local communities, government institutions, forest managers, and tourism partners, HLSL has the potential to become a destination for nature-based and scientific tourism. This approach aims to ensure that tourism development supports the conservation of forest ecosystems and biodiversity while creating meaningful benefits for the communities living around Sungai Lesan Protected Forest.
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Operation Wallacea Terpadu is a non-profit organization focused on practical climate action – from reforestation and coastal clean-ups to sustainability education for youth and communities.
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