On May 15-16, 2024, the Meudaya Association organized a Workshop on Krueng Peusangan Watershed Management through the Social Forestry Scheme at Grand Bayu Hill Hotel – Takengon City. This event is part of the LTC II program activities with WWF Indonesia, where the Meudaya Association is one of the program components, specifically in the Aceh Landscape.

The Krueng Peusangan Watershed, covering an area of 238,550 hectares, is a crucial habitat for various biodiversity and valuable water resources. However, exploitative activities such as illegal mining, encroachment for plantations, and illegal logging have threatened its sustainability. The Peusangan Watershed Forum declared that its condition has reached a critical national level.

One of the significant challenges faced is the conflict between humans and wildlife, especially elephants. The loss of natural elephant habitats has led to an increase in conflicts, negatively impacting the ecosystem balance.

In response to these challenges, the Meudaya Association, together with various stakeholders, will implement a series of strategies. One of them is through this workshop, aimed at strengthening the capacity of indigenous communities and local communities in proposing and managing forest areas through the Social Forestry scheme, especially village forest and ancestral land schemes.

This workshop also aims to enhance understanding of the concept of Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCA) and formulate joint strategies for forest management through the Social Forestry scheme.

In the process, the Meudaya Association involves HuMa as activity speakers and facilitates interactive group discussions. HuMa is requested to share experiences related to “The Role of Indigenous Communities in the Proposal and Management of Ancestral Forests”, The hope is that through this workshop, participants can produce concrete follow-up plans in efforts to maintain the sustainability of the Krueng Peusangan Watershed and address conflicts between humans and elephants.

This workshop is a crucial step in preserving the natural and cultural wealth in the region. With solid cooperation and active participation from all stakeholders, it is hoped that the Krueng Peusangan Watershed can continue to be a sustainable source of life for future generations.