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The Leuser
International Foundation (LIF) has successfully completed the
Program “Training for Forest Conservation Officers in Aceh”
according to the Final Contribution Agreement between LIF and
the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), dated 11
Aust 2006. Thanks to this contribution from the people of Canada
the forests of Aceh have been rewarded with enhanced recourses
and hence improved potential for sustainable management of one
of the most important forest conservation areas in the world.
Background
The post-Tsunami reconstruction activity in Aceh has put
increased pressure of the forests of Aceh. It is clear that
proper protection is crucial for the sustainable development to
save the services on which the local communities so heavily
depend. Leuser International Foundation with its Presidential
mandate to manage the Leuser Ecosystem plays an and portent role
in this effort. The Leuser Ecosystem covering 2.6 million
hectare of land 80% that is situated in Aceh and the rest in
North Sumatra on the border to Aceh. Looking at 130th short and
long-term management objectives, it has becomes evident that
there is increasing need for management recourses and a
continuous regeneration of conservation profesional.
Objectives
The main objective with the Training for Forest Conservation
Officers in Aceh is to contribute to the lmprovement of the
forest management and the protection of the forests of Aceh,
with particular emphasis on the Leuser Ecosystem. The program
aims at select and train 30 youths from the local area in basic
conservation skills and community monitoring techniques. The
best candidates (approximately 10) will get further training and
on-the-job experience to be able to lead the Community
Monitoring Team in the field. In a long-term perspective, these
Conservation Officers are expected to be capable to take the
lead in promoting and preventing conservation agendas in the
future.
Project Activities
The specific
activities of the Conservation Officer Training Program include:
1. Selection of candidates.
2. Consultation and finalization of
syllabus for the Conservation Officer Training.
3. Training for 2 months followed
by another 2 months training program.
4. Construction of Monitoring
Posts.
5. On the job training for the
Conservation Officers.
6.
Completion of
training and absorption as LIF staff.
Selection
process
The selection
of the candidates was carried out during November and December
2006. The program was announced in local newspapers and at local
government offices. 1063 persons applied at the 10 the
registrations centers located in different local areas within or
close to the Leuser Ecosystem. The 494 candidates that qualified
based on the specified requirements including education
background underwent a written examination including various
disciplines (mathematics, science, history, geography, and
English). 70 candidates qualified for the next selection step,
i.e. interview, physical test, medical examination and
psychology test conducted in Banda Aceh and Medan, North
Sumatra. 30 successful candidates were selected to take part in
the training.
During the
selection process a Canadian training expert, Mr. Murrey Hindle,
came to share his expertise by assisting in finalising the
syllabus for the training. He submitted an initial report that
was used as a support to initiate the first training phase. Head
Trainer Mr. Philip Wells and Program Leader G.V Reddy also
played an important role in finalising the syllabus for the
first moths training. However the final report that was supposed
to be produced by Mr. Hindle was never submitted. For the want
of the final report from the international training expert, the
Program Leader designed the syllabus for the continuation of the
training with assistance from lecturers from Universitas
Sumatera Utara (USU) in Medan, Universitas Syiah Kuala (Unsyiah)
and Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kehutanan (STIK) in Banda Aceh and
inputs from LIF’s own expertise staff.
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The
30 participants of the first training phase |
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