Gunung Walat, Sukabumi – International Fieldtrip of Indonesia Forest Researcher (INAFOR) 2011 took place on December 7, 2011, in the Gunung Walat University Forest (GWUF), Sukabumi.
INAFOR was a meeting between researchers and forestry experts both from domestic and international parties. INAFOR participants included researchers from all forestry research and development centre in Indonesia, university researchers, non-governmental organizations, and international institutions related to forestry. The location of INAFOR was at the IPB International Convention Center on 5-7 December 2011. INAFOR was held for the first time and attended by around 300 people.
One of INAFOR’s agendas was fieldtrip to several places including the Sukabumi GWUF held on the last day INAFOR activities. Field trip participants in the GWUF totalled 55 people.
The head of field trip division, Luqman Hakim, S.Hut, MP explained that the field trip was conducted at GWUF because GWUF was able to manage the forest without having to cut it down and produce non-timber forest products, pine resin, and environmental and tourism services so as to produce extraordinary income so that participants can learn at GWUF, especially in the management of forest areas with special purpose owned by Forestry Research and Development Center.
Activities carried out during field trip activities in GWUF included presentations on GWUF management by Dr. Gunawan Santosa (Director of Forest Resources Utilization of GWUF) and Dr. Tatang Tiryana (Research Director), scientific explanations of examples of good copal and pine sap tapping techniques to make a better sap quality by tappers in GWUF. One of the causes is continuous research and the use of organic stimulants whose technology is not owned in tapping pine and copal sap other than GWUF.
There were also interviews with tappers who was tapping in the forest. From the results of the interview, it can be concluded that the welfare of the tappers is fulfilled well and the work of tapping is in great interest by the surrounding community. With this connection, the community also maintains the forest in the GWUF area so that there is no looting of the forest and the community receive direct economic and ecological benefits such as water that always flows throughout the year from the forest.
“The community is considered as the solution of forestry problem as there’s a welfare improvement, but on the other hand, they will return to forest sustainability itself because they feel the benefits of the forest so they voluntarily protect the forest. That’s what I can value from the management of this Gunung Walat University Forest, Viva Faculty of Forestry, Viva IPB”, said Ir. Didik Purwito, M.Sc as the supervisor of this field trip participants. Field trip participants also observed that agroforestry in GWUF included coffee plants, cardamom, bananas, rice fields, etc. Field trip in GWUF satisfied the participants because they could directly see the GWUF management activities and get useful knowledge for research development. “I salute the IPB, and this is a blessing that makes one product that is non-timber forest product. I support the further development and this must be disseminated by each university that has one specific and specific expertise so that it becomes the strength of each university” said one field trip participant, Dr. Ir. Eny Faridah, M.Sc, from the Faculty of Forestry of University of Gadjah Mada
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