INDONESIA, Kumu Village, North Sulawesi - July 2004
Establishment of 124-acre no take forest reserve in exchange for elementary school renovations
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Kumu is a small village on the northern coast of Sulawesi with a population of about 240 families. Due to the area's decreased watershed protection, the village now experiences serious groundwater shortages during the dry season, as well as flooding during heavy rains. Seacology is assisting Kumu villagers by funding the planting of 5,000 indigenous tree seedlings in about 25 acres of deforested land bordering the river, as well as the much-need renovation of the village's only school. In exchange for these urgently needed items, the villagers will set aside 124 acres of intact rainforest as a no take zone.*
UPDATE January 2005 - Installation of signage and boundary markings for the no-take area of the forest is almost complete. In October 2004, an official groundbreaking ceremony for the new school took place with local government officials in attendance. Construction of the school building was approximately 30 percent completed as of mid-December 2004.
UPDATE March 2005 - Three of the six rooms are completed and are each being used by two sessions of classes per day. The remaining three rooms will be complete by the end of April. The official village ordinances protecting a total of 750 acres of forest have been signed by the villages of Teling and Poopoh. Currently, Poopoh is in the midst of ratifying a village water management board to oversee the maintenance and distribution of the new water system (Teling already has an existing water management board in place). Both villages are ready to start their water works projects at the beginning of April. Expected completion for both projects is at the end of May.
UPDATE July 2005 - In 2004 and early 2005 villagers formalized the no-take zone by official village ordinance, installed signage and boundary markings for the no-take area and started a native seed nursery to boost replanting efforts during the 2005 growing season. Construction of three new school rooms was finished in May 2005 and the official opening ceremony took place on June 8th. The buildings will be available for use for the new school year, which starts in July. Kumu Village members are working together with Poopoh and Teling Villages to collaborate with Indonesia's Department of Forestry to ensure long term forest protection against illegal logging activities.
*Support for asterisked projects is provided fully or in part by the
Nu
Skin Enterprises Force for Good Foundation
