By Baba S Barkah | Program Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation - Mawas
We have an update about our 40 hectares reforestation project in Mawas, Central Kalimantan, which is only possible thanks to our wonderful supporters.
Introduction
The BOS-US and BOS-UK Reforestation Project activities for the period October 2022 to March 2023 include the following:
Progress of Project Activities:
Several activities were conducted during September 2023-December 2023 for the BOS-US and BOS UK 40 Ha Reforestation Project including recurring seedlings maintenance in plantation nursery, establishing planting line and seedlings transport to planting hole, coordination meeting between BOSF Mawas and Reforestation Group, implementation of 40 Ha reforestation, establish firebreak, and hydrant construction.
Seedlings Maintenance in Plantation Nursery
Seedlings maintenance in the plantation nursery including regular watering, soil enrichment using organic fertilizer, weeding, and pest and disease protection and prevention. In September 2023, the seedlings show a healthy appearance and compact soil and rooting systems. The average seedlings height in September 2023 was 45-55 cm and in October was 70-80 cm. The seedlings’ acclimation process was completed, and the seedlings were 100% ready to plant. However, due to the seedlings’ longtime storage in the plantation nursery, the roots of the seedlings were penetrating the purun polybag. This condition could affect the seedlings’ condition during the transport process, making them prone to stress.
Land and Planting Preparation
The land and planting preparation have come to planting line establishment and planting stick installation. There are 6 groups that will participate in this activity. The establishment of the planting line and planting stick installation have been completely conducted from September 1, 2023, to September 13, 2023. Each group was targeted to establish 76 planting lines in 6.7 ha area each.
40 Ha Reforestation
The implementation of 40 ha BOS US-UK reforestation was delayed from August 2023 to October 2023. The delay of the implementation was caused by dry season and to avoid the risk of fire that might happen inside the plantation area. On October 31, 2023, coordination meeting was conducted between BOSF Mawas and 6 reforestation group representatives with agenda:
Based on the meeting agreement and considering the weather and plantation condition, the implementation of the 40 Ha planting will be conducted on November 3, 2023, and the activity including seedlings transport from the plantation nursery to the planting hole and the verification of the implementation (requirement for 3rd term payment).
The implementation of seedlings planting activity has been conducted on November 3, 2023. The planting implementation including seedlings transport from plantation nursery to plantation area and seedlings planting. Total plantation area of 40 ha with 456 planting lines and 44,688 planting sticks, planting holes and seedlings. The seedlings were planted with the planting distance 3 x 3 m. There are 9 types of trees planted and there are 6 reforestation groups involved in this project. The documentation of 40 Ha BOS US-UK Reforestation Project after the implementation of seedlings planting was completed using drone can be seen in the images.
Monitoring and Technical Assistance
Monitoring of the plantation area was conducted in December 2023 to observe the plantation and seedlings’ post-planting condition. Due to increasing rain frequency affecting river to overflow to the plantation area, therefore in December 2023, 100% area of BOS USA-UK plantation was flooded and some of the seedlings were submerged.
Based on the seedlings monitoring, the condition of the seedlings was in the process of adapting to the plantation condition, some of the seedlings experienced post-planting stress and the seedlings that already adapting to the plantation condition were grow well.
Fire Prevention and Mitigation
The implementation of 40 ha reforestation was delayed due to the condition of the plantation and the presence of forest and land fire surrounding BOS USA-UK 40 Ha plantation area. Since August 2023, there have been several cases of fire in BOSF Mawas working area. The nearest fire incident from BOS USA-UK plantation happens in Compartment M1.
Fire Incidents in the M1 Compartment
On Tuesday, September 26, 2023, a forest fire was reported by Herto and Rahiman during their area monitoring in Danau Telu area near BOS Australia 60 Ha plantation. The fire was located approximately 60 m away from the river bank, the hose that the monitoring team brought was only 40 m long, therefore the fire extinguishing effort was not sufficient. The team reported this fire location and requested a longer hose. When the supporting team (Hengky and Moko) and the hose arrived, the fire had spread 1.5-2 ha due to strong wind that points to 60 Ha plantation area.
10 staff were assigned to extinguish fire and construct a firebreak on Wednesday, September 27, 2023. Several fire points were successfully extinguished; however, the other fire points were continuing to burn away from 60 Ha BOS Australia plantation area into an unreachable area.
On Thursday, September 28, 2023, at 10.00 AM local time, the fire reached to BOS US-UK 40 Ha plantation area, and the total affected area was 19,21 Ha inside and outside the plantation area. All the available staff were divided into 2 teams to construct a firebreak and extinguish fire in the border of BOS US-UK and BOS Australia plantation. At 19.21 Local time, the fire spreads in the southeast direction, approximately 200 m from the border of 40 Ha plantation area, pointing to Mantangai River.
On September 29-30 the fire spread in every direction and the team continued to put all effort into extinguishing the fire as well as protecting the plantation area.
Fire Break and Deep Well/Hydrant Construction
On October 1, 2023, the fires that spread inside the plantation area were extinguished. Firebreaks were constructed bordering the plantation area 616 m length and 4 m wide. The total burned area in 40 ha plantation area was 28.02 Ha and there are 354 planting lines affected by the fire, leaving 11.98 Ha area and 102 planting lines.
To protect the plantation area from fire, 8 deep well/hydrant were constructed on the side of the plantation area with 200 m distance from each hydrant.
Expenses
Since the project started until December 2023, we have received funds amounting to IDR 743.350.094 or around 85% of the total budget in the work plan (Total budget IDR 878.643.600). Meanwhile, the expenses for implementing activities up to December 2023 are IDR 792.723.598, so there is a funding shortfall of IDR – 49.373.504.
Thank you so much again for your help! We couldn’t do it without you.
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