Integrated Landscape Management Plan for Sustainable Land Use and Ecosystem Resilience in Southwest Papua Province

Description

Indonesia’s extraordinary biological diversity and vast tropical forest ecosystems play a critical role in global climate regulation, carbon storage, hydrological stability, and the livelihoods of millions of rural and indigenous people. However, rapid expansion of agriculture, infrastructure, and extractive industries—particularly linked to palm oil, cocoa, coffee, and rice production—has led to significant environmental degradation, including deforestation, biodiversity loss, peatland damage, land tenure conflicts, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Weak land-use planning and governance in frontier regions have further exacerbated the conversion of high conservation value and ecologically sensitive areas, underscoring the urgent need for more integrated, science-based, and inclusive landscape management approaches.

In response to these interconnected challenges, the Government of Indonesia, with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), UNDP, and FAO, initiated the Food Systems, Land Use, and Restoration (FOLUR) Project. At its core, FOLUR promotes Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) as a holistic, multi-sectoral framework that aligns environmental protection, economic development, and social inclusion. ILM recognizes landscapes as complex socio-ecological systems and seeks to harmonize agriculture, forestry, conservation, and infrastructure development through coordinated planning, stakeholder collaboration, and alignment of policies with ecological realities. This approach directly supports national priorities, including biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink 2030 commitment.

Southwest Papua Province, established in 2022 and designated as one of FOLUR’s priority areas, represents a critical landscape characterized by extensive intact forests, peatlands, mangroves, and strong customary governance systems. While the province remains relatively underdeveloped, increasing pressure from commodity investments, infrastructure expansion, and economic development poses significant risks if not carefully managed. Foundational studies such as Targeted Scenario Analysis (TSA) and HCV/HCS assessments in Sorong Regency have generated valuable baseline data, yet these insights have not been fully integrated into a coherent, province-wide planning instrument to guide sustainable land-use decisions.

The primary objective of this initiative is to support the development and implementation of a Provincial Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) Plan for Southwest Papua. The plan aims to balance commodity production, ecosystem conservation, and community needs while strengthening inclusive governance and institutional capacity. To achieve this, the project undertakes policy and baseline reviews, spatial and environmental analyses, field assessments, and extensive stakeholder engagement. Advanced GIS and remote sensing tools are used to assess land suitability, environmental carrying capacity, and ecosystem services, while scenario-based analyses, ranging from Business-as-Usual to Optimal Sustainable Development, are applied to evaluate future land-use trade-offs and development pathways.

The expected results include a comprehensive and implementable ILM Plan supported by high-resolution zoning maps for protection, production, and restoration areas; integration of district-level land suitability and environmental carrying capacity data; and clear strategies for conserving High Conservation Value and High Carbon Stock forests. The project will also deliver a robust implementation framework with institutional arrangements, monitoring and evaluation systems, capacity-building programs, and conflict-resolution mechanisms. Ultimately, the ILM Plan is intended to align provincial spatial and development planning with national and global commitments, provide a participatory roadmap for sustainable economic growth, and ensure that development in Southwest Papua safeguards ecosystem services, respects customary rights, and builds long-term climate resilience.

Funding

This program is supported by the UNDP FOLUR Program, with a program period from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2026, with total funding support amounting to IDR 1,501,610,000.