Indonesia, U.S. Launch "LESTARI" Program for Forest Conservation in Papua

Jayapura, Papua, Jan 21 (Antara) - The Indonesian and United States' governments launched a sustainable forest management program called "LESTARI" in the province of Papua on Thursday. The USAID-funded project will support Indonesia's objective of reducing land-based greenhouse gas emissions and conserve valuable biodiversity in the forest and ecosystems. "The LESTARI project will also help conserve the carbon-rich mangrove ecosystem, which is biologically significant," the Coordinator of the LESTARI Program in Papua Province, Benja Victor Mambai said on Thursday. Some of the main activities of the projects are land governance, improvement, management and protection for key species within the conservation areas, and an improvement in private sector practices and industry. The program will be supported by the provincial administration of Papua and the regional district administrations of Jayapura, Asmat, Mimika, Mappi, Boven Digoel, and the University of Cendrawasih. It will focus on six areas or landscapes in three of the largest islands of Indonesia, namely the Leuser landscape in North Sumatra, the Katingan-Kahayan landscape in Central Kalimantan, and the Lorentz Mappi lowland-Boven Digoel, Sarmi and Cycloops in Papua. USAID or the United States Agency for International Development is a U.S. Government agency, primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. The LESTARI program will integrate ecosystem and forest conservation using a low emission development program over the degraded land, Benja said. At least 1.9 million people in Papua are counting on the lives of the Indonesian forests and ecosystem, he said, adding that the forest degradation should be stopped. The launch of the LESTARI program was attended by the U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, Robert O. Blake. ***4*** Reporting by Hendrina Dian Kandipi