WORKSHOPS & FIELD TRAINING
To learn and improve the skills of both staff members and stakeholders we regularly run workshops and training related to our work for orangutans, forests and people.
HUMAN-ORANGUTAN CONFLICT MITIGATION WORKSHOPS
We support the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) in delivering workshops to local communities and farmers on how to safely respond to orangutan encroachment in community lands. The overall aim is to ensure that displaced orangutans can safely return to their natural habitats to protect local populations.
With shrinking forests and human expansion, combined with the effects of climate change on forest fruit availability, orangutans at times enter community lands, mostly in search of alternative food sources. These workshops provide an understanding of how to safely repel orangutans from communities and oil-palm plantations, and of the reporting procedure should an orangutan need rescuing or translocating back into the forest.
Workshops include presentations from rescue staff and hands on practice of orangutan rescues. This is followed by discussions in which residents are encouraged to identify local areas at risk of human-wildlife conflict, so that individuals can be better prepared for potential encounters or avoid them all together.
Post-workshop surveys have identified a significant improvement in the participants understanding of how to rescue and repel orangutans and of the correct reporting procedure to BKSDA should a rescue or translocation be required.
PLANT IDENTIFICATION AND CAMERA TRAP ANALYSIS TRAINING
Together with the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), we held plant identification and camera trap analysis training with 27 participants, including stakeholders, hosted by Yayorin. This training improves the technical skillsets of participants for surveying and identifying local plants, and analysis camera trap results.
The training included presentations followed by practical field tests and data analysis using the statistical programme software ‘R’. Teaching was assisted by botanist Mr. Ambriansyah and Khairul Ikhawan from Borneo Nature Foundation
To practically apply learnt skills in the field, participants visited Lamandau Wildlife Reserve to carry out plant identification, vegetation surveys, and install camera traps in groups. Results were then presented. The post-participation survey showed that participants felt more confident in these skillsets after the training.
ORANGUTAN POPULATION SURVEYS
Previously, a multi-stakeholder workshop was held with oil-palm companies on how to manage orangutan populations. As a follow-up, all parties, together with our staff, BKSDA and village communities conducted two orangutan population surveys.
The surveys were in Iskandar Forest, West Kotawaringin Regency, and concessions in high conservation value areas in Lamandau Regency. The West Kotawaringin Regency survey found 39 orangutan nests along 15 transect routes spread throughout the area, and 6 orangutan nests were found along the 7 transects in the Lamandau Regency.
Staff led the trails and encountered and saw evidence of other wild animals, such as hornbills, sun bear paws, and deer tracks. Plant data was also recorded for further analysis. From all these results, the distribution of the orangutan population and condition of their habitat can be determined, and conservation management decisions can be made.
SMART PATROL TRAINING FOR GUARD POST STAFF
To protect the forests of Lamandau Wildlife Reserve and Tanjung Puting National Park, our guard post staff are trained to carry out forest and river patrols to monitor illegal activity, respond to fires, and visit local communities to educate them about the protected forests.
The guard post staff training utilises SMART technology, including GPS devices to monitor and protect the forest. It helps them to plot the locations of illegal activities, identify plants and large trees targeted by loggers, and record any wildlife sightings.
Whist undergoing recent training, the guard post staff uncovered a trapped monitor lizard in a fish trap, drawn in by the fish. They were able to rescue and release it back into the water.
Our guard post staff are vital in protecting over 500,000 acres of tropical forest, home to 5,000 critically endangered orangutans. They are the first line of defence and essential to our work.
MULTI-STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP WITH OIL-PALM COMPANIES ON HOW TO MANAGE ORANGUTAN POPULATIONS
Our staff, in collaboration with the Central Kalimantan BKSDA, held a workshop on managing orangutan populations in oil-palm companies. The aim of the workshop was to gather information and input from parties regarding the management of orangutan populations and their habitat in production forests, as well as building synergy between parties to implement management of protected wild animals, especially orangutans.
A discussion session was held to gather information about managing the orangutan population in the High Conservation Value areas in company oil-palm plantations. We also distributed questionnaires containing questions about how wildlife was managed at each company, and they filled out the questionnaires enthusiastically.
As a follow-up to this workshop, all parties will conduct orangutan population surveys in several locations to determine the distribution and condition of the orangutan population and their habitat.
