Title: ‘Improving Natural Resources Management in Siberut Island, through the Revitalization of Traditional Knowledge and the Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture’
Partners: National Park, Mentawai Islands, Siberut
Implementation: 2009-2010
Funding:  Paul K. Feyerabend Foundation, Switzerland

In Siberut, the traditional agroforestry system is referred to as pumonean. Traditional agroforestry practices in Siberut are unique because they do not involve relocation of plantations from one location to another and do not use fire in the forest-clearing phase. Pumonean is considered to be advantageous for nature conservation. Its functions range from economic to social and ecological. However, rapid social change in Siberut has brought with it new agricultural practices which, while possibly resulting in increased short-term gains, very destructive, unsustainable and threaten Siberut’s long-term agricultural productivity.
This project aims to protect Siberut’s ecosystem from destructive practices by strengthening traditional knowledge, encourage pumonean natural resource management, and integrated traditional systems and knowledge with scientific knowledge which is relevant and sustainable.

1.    PASIH helps to develop local agroforestry practices and enrich them with modern knowledge as a way to address the transition from subsistence to a cash economy natural resource management model. The project has two main objectives, namely;
2.     The identification of traditional knowledge and practices of natural resource management that can be integrated with commercially oriented agroforestry systems; Transfer of appropriate technology skills to local communities in agroforestry practices that respect the traditional knowledge and indigenous local customs.

This project was conducted in five villages in South Siberut with 1000 households.

Title: ‘Improvement of agroforestry systems in Siberut Agriculture’
Partners: Mentawai Islands, Siberut National Park
Implementation: 2009-2011
Funding: Stichting Ommersteyn, Belgium

Indigenous traditional agroferstry system, ‘pumonean’ can transform forests into productive fields without destroying the whole forest. It provides a source of income by allowing the production of commercial crops, staple food, medicinal plants in a non-destructive manner. The collaborative way in which pumonean is implemented also helps to maintain social relations.
This project, similar to the project described above, aims to promote pumonean as a model for agroforestry in Siberut. The project seeks to update and enrich traditional farming techniques by introducing new, non-destructive practices which could be applied to Siberut’s unique environment. The long-term goal of this project is to conduct economic development that supports the conservation of ecosystem restoration on Siberut Island. The objectives of this project are;
1.    To increase the capacity of local farmers in natural resource management;
2.    Improve systems and techniques of land use and development of agroforestry commodities;
3.    Build a sample test plot together with an information center on agroforestry for sharing best-practices amongst local farmers and;
4.    Promote understanding of traditional knowledge and agro-forestry model for policy makers in the district.

Title: ‘Promoting conservation to halt degradation of the rainforest heritage of Indonesia (Siberut) and improve the management of protected areas’
Partners: Siberut National Park, PBHI
Implementation: 2009
Funding: UNESCO Jakarta Office

Siberut island is home to an unusual ecology. Its geographic isolation has resulted in a high number of endemic flora and fauna species. Siberut  has also been through a unique experience of rapid and extreme social change driven by decentralization programmes. In order to overcome destructive development schemes, a holistic and comprehensive approach is needed to ensure Siberut’s sustainable future, for both the ecosystem and the communities of the island. This was achieved by strengthening cultural and natural understanding, increasing capacity and enhancing awareness of conservation among all stakeholders. To avoid further degradation of Siberut’s natural environment, this project sought to manage the potential risks from social change in Sibeurt for nature conservation. The focus of the project was to safeguard the unique ecosystem and high biodiversity by improving the management of protected areas.
The main objectives of this project were:

To increase the capacity of the national park and its partners to work effectively in the field;
1.    Increase participation of local communities, by encouraging discussions related to traditional knowledge and experience, in defining and formulating economic policy and voicing environmental concerns;
2.    Improve the quality of participation of indigenous peoples by building cultural understanding appropriate and natural preservation in the implementation of development;
3.    Increase understanding and awareness of all stakeholders to improve policies on Biosphere Reserves and the role of indigenous peoples, as well as conservation and cultural values of Siberut island.

Project Title: ‘Development of seed cacao and nutmeg as alternative agroforestry models in Siberut Island’
Implementation: 2008
Funding: Ommersteyn Foundation and the UNESCO Jakarta Office

This project sought to complement and strengthen the farming techniques already developed in relation to these crops. The focus of the proposed activity was the development and breeding of the types of commodities in accordance with ecological agroforestry Siberut in order to provide incomes for local communities. Although nutmeg and cocoa had been extensively developed, there was no local producer of seeds. Nutmeg and chocolate in circulation in Siberut were mostly the results of seedling plants imported from the mainland island of West Sumatra, in the form of seedlings ready for planting and not the seeds developed by the cultivators.
Activities included;

1. Training of nursery development and collection of nutmeg and chocolate from different varieties, including varieties that have been developed in the last 10 years by local farmers in Siberut
2. Establishment of a breeding center equipped with adequate irrigation, designed and tailored to the high-rainfall ecological condition of Siberut to produce seeds that easily adapt to the ecology of the island.
3. Provision and development of several varieties from various regions in order to conduct research into types that produce high productivity, are resistant to pests and appropriate to the ecology of the island.
4. Training related to seed selection, seed development and maintenance to help cultivators to obtain higher yields. Instructors for this training come from Siberut and have been successful in developing seedlings.

Title: ‘Disaster Risk Reduction in Siberut Island, West Sumatra’
Implementation: 2008
Funding: UNESCO Jakarta Office
Partners: Department of Education, Youth and Sport Branch South Siberut, village government and Muara Siberut Maileppet

This project succeeded in raising levels of awareness and providing information to the community related to disaster preparation and community response, in the aftermath of the earthquake that affected three villages in South Siberut. Awareness about earthquakes is very important to provide the basis for any local leader in the design and development of their villages and raise awareness of the potential for disasters in the island of Siberut, which is located within the ”Ring of Fire”.
Through the public awareness campaign, regular meetings at the village level and training with key figures, this project provided information about Siberut’s risk from potential earthquakes and tsunami. Through this project, the inhabitants of Siberut were given the knowledge and tools necessary to plan emergency response actions based on the understanding of local culture and customs. This project succeeded in preparing the public for the event of an earthquake or tsunami. Subsequent to this project, three earthquakes have hit the island of Siberut without any reports of casualties.

Project Title ‘Assisting Local People and Government in the Sustainable Development Scheme in Siberut Biosphere Reserve’
Partner District Government of South Siberut
Implementation 2008
Funding UNESCO Jakarta Office

This project was aimed at raising the capacities of government and local communities in the district of South Siberut in implementing environment-friendly development patterns - as recommended in the Seville straetgy. This project aimed to increase the possibilities of sustainable natural resource development through local level development planning that has been informed by socio-cultural and indigenous knowledge.
The project succeeded in helping the community to increase participation and capacity in sustainably managing natural resources in the context of management of Biosphere Reserves. It also helped increase understanding and awareness of various stakeholders in improving policies regarding indigenous peoples' rights and their role in natural resource management in the context of sustainable development. Through a series of meetings and public outreach at village level, people also understand the ecological context and the vulnerability of the island of Siberut and its status as a biosphere reserve. The government was able to understand the context of the biosphere reserve and its status in local development. Stakeholders were able to understand how the biosphere reserve could be integrated into Sibeurt’s development and should not be seen as an obstacle to development.

The establishment and management of Siberut National Park (BTNS) in Siberut Island, West Sumatra, had the to potential to cause conflict amongst the public. The ‘top-down’ management approach of the National Park lacked an appreciation of the socio-cultural dynamics of communities of Siberut. During the year 2001-2005, to reduce the potential for conflict, this project encouraged dialogue and mediation amongst different groups through a program of collaborative management (co- management) between the National Park and local communities with support from UNESCO's Jakarta office. This program succeeded in increasing the communities’ acceptance of the National Park and raising the skills of the Park staff in building cooperation with local communities and other component of conservation (local governments, NGOs) in Siberut.

Project Title     Biodiversity Monitoring Model and Improving Natural Resources
Management in Siberut Biosphere Reserve
Mitra    Taman Nasional Siberut, Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam (BKSDA) Sumatra Barat, Desma Center, UNESCO
Periode     2009-2010
Pendanaan    Organismo Autonomo Parques Nacionales (OAPN)

Threat toward Siberut ecosystem and biodiversity is higher, however many conservation efforts have been implemented. Permits of big scale forest opening is still expelled by government to private sector, while community also start to adopt forest exploitation schemes and natural resources introduced by government. It caused serious environmental degradation, while the opened of market access and the change of life can give threat toward biodiversity in Siberut Biosphere Reserve. Protected wildlife rotation improves drastically since increasing request toward wildlife species from Sumatra land in 2000s decades. Traders from Sumatra are very active to look for wild-animal and bio-plants from Siberut. Wild-animals that looked for scaly anteater (Manis javanica), myna bird (Gracilis Religiosa) and bilou (Hylobates klossi) as well as some birds and insects species. Law obey in waterworks also increase. Protected fish species trade is glow after increasing market request for coral fish such as napoleon, seafishma, and the others.

Monitoring and evaluation of biodiversity status in Biosphere Reserve is difficult to be implemented. Most up to date data is difficult to be gotten. Law enforcement is weak. Stakeholders managing biodiversity cases —Siberut National Park Agency (BTNS), Natural Resources Conservation Bureau (BKSDA), Forestry service, Marine and Fishery Service—very limited in doing monitoring and evaluation. Most of staffs live in Sumatra and only has limited time to visit Siberut. Less mode and expensive transportation as well as high logistic load cause monitoring and evaluation of Biosphere Reserve status and area as well as protected biodiversity is very difficult to be implemented. Combination between difficult access inside Siberut and resistance appear from community make the stakeholders more permissive toward natural resources management illegally. It also supported by low BTNS and BKSDA capacity. Limited partnership and societal network with citizen and no monitoring methods and technique appear distortion regarding information of biodiversity status in Siberut. No valid available data and low capacity causes disappear strategy and intervention from BTNS and BKSDA to solve territory problems and protected biodiversity.

Siberut community is also involved actively in ecosystem destroy and decrease biodiversity in Siberut. Economic threat and difficulty of life reasons often proposed upon destructive behavior toward nature. Less economic benefit from conservation project is also to be reason for them to continue their exploitative activities. For Siberut community, conservation is logic when activities implemented give direct benefit economically for them. So that, every conservation efforts in Siberut is demanded to be able to repair economic difficulties.

The development pressure and related changes in natural resource management are negatively impacting the national park’s ecosystems, and endangering the survival of many of the island's endemic plant and animal species. During the last years, the Siberut National Park authorities is suffering many of the typical problems faced by Indonesia’s protected area authorities (i.e. weak management capacities, low education and motivation of staff members, poor communication skills, limited infrastructure and equipment). However, an effective response to the pressures has been absent, and the Siberut National Park and local conservation stakeholders have faced an increasing number of conservation and management challenges.

Given the size of Siberut (more than 400.00 ha) and the absence of a modern transportation and communication system, geographical isolation continues to be one of the biggest challenges in monitoring the Siberut Biosphere Reserve, and especially, the western part of the island, the region in which the national park is located, is difficult to access. The remoteness, isolation of the areas in the national park and the lack of a good transportation system have severely hampered effective monitoring.

PASIH has worked in Siberut Biosphere Reserve since 2007, working together with the national park authorities as well as local communities and community based organizations, to improve the management of the natural resources in the island and improving the conservation of its unique ecosystems and species. PASIH has Memorandum of Understanding with the park.