12 May 2026
Threesna Sharfina
PUBLIC RELATIONS FAHUTAN — The Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), has strengthened its synergy with the Directorate General of Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems (KSDAE), Ministry of Forestry, in efforts to support sustainable ecosystem conservation and restoration in North Sumatra.
This collaboration was marked by a working visit held on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) at the Faculty of Forestry USU. The event was attended by the Dean of the Faculty of Forestry USU, Prof. Dr. Arida Susilowati, S.Hut., M.Si.; Vice Dean for Education, Student Affairs, and Alumni Affairs, Dr. Ir. Tito Sucipto, S.Hut., M.Si., IPU., ASEAN Eng.; Vice Dean for Administration, Finance, Human Resources, and Academic Infrastructure, Dr. Ir. Luthfi Hakim, S.Hut., M.Si., IPU., ASEAN Eng.; and Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Collaboration, and Internationalization, Dr. Anita Zaitunah, S.Hut., M.Sc. Representatives from the Directorate General of KSDAE, the Ministry of Forestry, Darmawan, and I Wayan Gede Mandyasa, also attended the meeting.
The discussion focused on the preparation of an Action Plan for Conservation, Restoration, and Sustainable Management of Degraded Priority Ecosystems in Mandailing Natal Regency, North Sumatra Province.
This program is part of the implementation of the Strengthening Sustainability in Commodity and Food Systems, Land Restoration and Land Use Governance through Integrated Landscape Management for Multiple Benefits in Indonesia (FOLUR) project, supported by the United Nations Development Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization, and funded by the Global Environment Facility.
In its implementation, the Ministry of Forestry acts as one of the executing agencies of the FOLUR project in Indonesia. The program is currently being implemented in five provinces and five pilot regencies, including Mandailing Natal in North Sumatra.
Several strategic agendas were discussed during the meeting, including GIS-based identification and mapping of priority conservation areas, zoning for protection and sustainable use, ecosystem restoration policy analysis, protection of flora and fauna, forest and land rehabilitation, and the development of incentive mechanisms for community-based environmental stewardship.
In addition to conservation efforts, the program also aims to strengthen local economies through the development of agroforestry, non-timber forest products, and sustainable ecotourism. The FOLUR program is supported by a budget allocation of IDR 1,130,674,000.
The Faculty of Forestry at USU is recognized for its strong academic capacity and resources to support the implementation of this program. Expertise in biodiversity conservation, forest and land rehabilitation, remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), climate change, forest social systems, and sustainable landscape management serves as a key strength in advancing scientific studies and science-based solutions.
Through this collaboration, the Faculty of Forestry USU is expected to continue contributing innovations and scientific recommendations to support sustainable natural resource management and the achievement of Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink 2030 target.
This initiative is also aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 15 (Life on Land), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through strengthened conservation, ecosystem restoration, sustainable land governance, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
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