Consolidated and compiled By Happy Tarumadevyanto | Independent Consultant | Environmental Asia | happy.devyanto@environmental.asia
Learning Sustainable Forests Management from Perum Perhutani
The history of Perum Perhutani’s entry into the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) scheme began in the late 1990s through a pilot initiative led by SmartWood, one of the earliest accredited certification bodies under the FSC system (now part of the Rainforest Alliance).
Here’s a summary of the key moments:
1. Early Engagement (Late 1990s)
Perhutani, as the state-owned forestry company managing Java’s production forests, began exploring FSC certification as part of a global movement toward sustainable forest management. This interest aligned with increasing international demand for certified timber and environmentally responsible practices.
2. Collaboration with SmartWood
Perhutani partnered with SmartWood to assess and improve its forest management practices. SmartWood provided the technical assistance and conducted pre-assessments to determine the readiness of Perhutani’s forest management units (KPHs) for FSC certification.
3. Pilot Certification: KPH Kendal and KPH Cepu
Around 2000–2001, two forest management units—KPH Kendal and KPH Cepu in Central Java—underwent full FSC assessments. These assessments looked at ecological sustainability, community involvement, and legal compliance.
- In 2001, KPH Kendal became the first state production forest in Indonesia to receive FSC certification. This marked a historical achievement for Perhutani and positioned the company as a pioneer in integrating international sustainability standards into state forest management.
4. Impact and Learning
The FSC certification process prompted institutional learning within Perhutani, including:
- Enhanced social engagement with local communities.
- Stronger attention to biodiversity and environmental conservation.
- Introduction of better documentation and monitoring systems aligned with FSC’s 10 principles and criteria.
5. Challenges and Revisions
Over time, Perhutani faced challenges in maintaining certification in some areas due to social conflicts, illegal logging pressures, and institutional capacity. These challenges became valuable lessons in adapting large-scale, state-run forest governance to meet voluntary international standards like FSC.
In essence, Perhutani’s FSC journey through SmartWood served as a foundational experience in transforming state forest management toward global sustainability benchmarks, while also highlighting the complexities of applying FSC in public-sector forestry in Indonesia.
The learning process related to Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) standards within Perum Perhutani began to gain serious attention in the late 1990s to early 2000s. This period coincided with the growing global awareness of sustainable forest management and the increasing demand from international markets for certified wood products.
Specifically:
- Between 1998 and 2001, Perhutani initiated pilot projects for forest certification under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) scheme in several forest management units (Kesatuan Pemangkuan Hutan, or KPH), such as KPH Kendal and KPH Cepu in Central Java.
- In 2001, Perhutani received its first FSC certification for KPH Kendal, marking the beginning of the application of FSC principles and criteria in state production forests.
- This process served as a valuable learning experience for both Perhutani and the Indonesian government in implementing international standards within the framework of state-managed forests, which have a long history and strong institutional structure.
Therefore, the formal learning of SFM standards through Perhutani began in the late 1990s and has continued to develop through certification implementation, revision of management systems, and integration of social and environmental aspects in forestry planning.