Advancing human and tiger harmony in Rimbang Baling Wildlife Reserve, Central Sumatran Tiger Landscape
Bukit Rimbang Bukit Baling Wildlife Reserve (RBWR), Central Sumatra is known as a long-term priority Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) landscape globally. The local and traditional communities have been inhabiting the area for hundreds of years. They strongly depend on the forest for livelihood and adhere to a customary (adat) system that has many complementarities with wildlife protection and natural resources management. Rimbang Baling has been affected by escalating anthropogenic threats, i.e. habitat degradation and conversion to palm plantations, and extension of rubber plantations. INDECON conducted various activities in 7 villages plus Gema village as the entry point for the area. The project had improved management of tourism attractions and quality of tourism services, which are important particularly to ensure protection of tiger and habitat, as well as local culture of Rimbang Baling.
More than 600 persons participated in ecotourism-related project activities through training and assistance. Indecon conducted a series of training in order to improve capacity of local communities at Rimbang Baling; however, the critical element of our work is that all trainings were followed up by intensive coaching. Infrastructure provision also made significant impact to the development of tourism at Rimbang Baling.
DURATION:
August 2022 – September 2024 (2nd phase)
PROJECT COMPONENT:
- Institutional development for local community groups
- Capacity building for local community groups by training series on post-production of local-sustainable products; tour product development, homestay management, tour interpretation; institutional management, including micro finance
- Coaching by local facilitators
- Provision of supporting facilities at Rimbang Baling, including Rimbang Baling Consevation and Ecotourism centre (toilets, trekking trails, interpretation signage); homestay improvements; equipment to support tour operations.
LOCATION
Seven villages at the perimeter of Bukit Rimbang Bukit Baling Wildlife Reserve, which are Tanjung Belit, Muara Bio, Tanjung Beringin, Batu Songgan, Gajah Bertalut, Aur Kuning, and Terusan.
OUTPUT
- Improved institutional management at tourism villages, including commitment to sustainable tourism management by villages and community groups
- Standard Operation Procedures for community groups, including homestays and local tourism groups (Pokdarwis) ensuring safety procedures and environmentally friendly practices in tourism
- Rimbang Baling Consevation and Ecotourism centre
- Tour packages developed and operated by local tourism groups in the villages
- Outlet for tourism products (Galeri Karimba Hub); various social media promotion Instagram (karimba_explore and karimba_craft) and website (www.karimba.id); familiarization trips for tour operators.
Donor & Partners
The project is funded by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and KfW Development Bank
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