The INUCoST Team of the Faculty of Biology Conducted High Conservation Areas Survey in The Buffer Zone of Nusantara Capital City

Team of Working Package (WP) 1 INUCoST (Indonesia-Netherlands Universities Consortium for Sustainable Futures) which is coordinated by Prof. Dr. Ratna Susandarini, M.Sc. has successfully conducted field survey for High Conservation Value Areas in Muara Jawa Subdistrict, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, Province of East Kalimantan. The survey was conducted in July 14 – 18, 2025. The team was consisted of lecturers and students from Universitas Gadjah Mada and Universitas Mulawarman (Unmul). Team members from UGM were lecturers and students from Faculty of Biology, Center for Land Resource Management Studies, and Faculty of Forestry, while team members from Unmul were the lecturers from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Field activity was consisted by Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and biodiversity survey around mangrove forest of Mahakam River Delta, Subdistrict of Muara Jawa.

FGD was conducted with university partner (Unmul) and stakeholders. Representatives of Unmul were lecturers from Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and staffs from The Governing Body for Research and Community Services of Unmul (Lembaga Penelitian dan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat). Stakeholders invited were all stakeholders responsible for HCV valuation in East Kalimantan Province, e.g. Natural Resources Conservation Agency (Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam), Office of Environmental Services (Dinas Lingkungan Hidup), Office of Forestry Services (Dinas Kehutanan), Office of Food Security, Crops, and Horticulture (Dinas Pangan, Tanaman Pangan, dan Hortikultura), and Office of Marine and Fishery (Dinas Kelautan dan Perikanan). The FGD was done to collect baseline data for biodiversity and its conservation in East Kalimantan Province, especially in Muara Jawa Subdistrict.

Field survey was done around Mahakam River Delta and the settlements surrounding. The exploration of mangrove forest was done in Muara Kembang Village (kelurahan) administrative region to understand the flora and fauna diversity in the region. Biodiversity survey was done to assess the HCV points, i.e. HCV 1 (Species Diversity), HCV 2 (Ecosystem, Landscape Level Mosaic, and Intact Forest Landscape), and HCV 3 (Ecosystem and Habitat) in Muara Jawa Subdistrict. The next field activity done was visitation to Agroforestry Community Counselor (Penyuluh Swadaya Kelompok Tani Hutan) of Mahakam Delta to gain information regarding the community empowerment done by the Agroforestry Community. The visit was done to assess the HCV 5 point (Community Needs) of Muara Jawa Subdistrict.

Another visit was done in Office of Handil II Port, Muara Jawa Pesisir Village. In the visitation, the team was conducting discussions with staffs of the Department of Transportations (Dinas Perhubungan) to collect informations regarding survey locations and informant contacts to be interviewed for HCV assessment. Visit to the Leader of the Farmer and Agricultural Affairs Community (Gabungan Kelompok Tani/Gapoktan) of the Muara Jawa Ulu Village was done to assess information regarding agricultural products and welfare of the farmers in the region. Mangrove forest exploration was conducted in administrative regions of Muara Jawa Pesisir Village and Muara Pegah Hamlet, Muara Jawa Tengah Village. Two activities were done in Muara Pegah Hamlet, i.e. flora and fauna exploration and visitation to the Community Chief (Ketua RT) to collect baseline data regarding social and economic conditions of the people of Muara Pegah Hamlet. The visits to the Leader of Gapoktan and Ketua RT was done to assess information for HCV 5 point.

The series of activities done were successfully collected important data regarding the HCV points. From the flora and fauna survey, it can be concluded that Muara Jawa Subdistrict is a highly important area for conservation. In that subdistrict, a protected species of primate could be found, i.e. proboscis monkey (bekantan/Nasalis larvatus) inhabits a specific mangrove forest found in Mahakam River Delta. Besides becoming home for the primates, mangrove forests also useful as a source of livelihood for local people around the delta. Interviews with stakeholders of Muara Jawa Subdistrict resulted in important data that represented socio-economic condition of the people in the area. (BK)