Some women in the group were already practicing their delicate diplomacy at home even before the forest guards started.
For decades, Muhammad Saleh, 50, did gentle parts of the jungle on fire, hunting lions he may kill and offer to help feed his family. Each cat had collect him about US$ 1, 250 after the then-raging legal battle had damaged the local market. He would occasionally cut down trees to make firewood or rear species for the business.
His family, Rosita, 44, pleaded with him not to move. She gave him a reminder of the species that his actions might have an impact on.
It took decades, but Saleh finally understood what his partner was saying. He joined his family in forest guards after giving up hunting and cutting down trees. He claimed that since beginning his guards, the woodland has more birds and the tree cover has grown thicker.
” Our jungle is no longer deforested: the pets are alive and we’re more awake”, he said. ” The whole world feels the effect, not just us”.
The rangers ‘ methods are now being used elsewhere in Indonesia as regional organizations, non-governmental organizations, and international foundations work together to bring up other women-led forestry groups.
Members of the Aceh party have met women from Indonesia’s provinces who are in dire need of forest management, exchanged details about leading local forest initiatives, taught how to create proposals and apply for permits for forest control, and learned how to better impose better laws to stop illegal hunting, mine, and logging.
” There’s today more connection between mothers, mothers and ladies talking about how to understand problems and being environmental leaders”, said Farhan.
According to Rahpriyanto Alam Surya Putra, The Asia Foundation’s system director for economic leadership in Indonesia, the importance of women’s involvement in forest management is crucial to the success of social forest programs. The organization has assisted in organizing meetings between the women-led groups.
A study of 1, 865 households conducted by the base revealed that when women are engaged in community forest administration, it results in higher household income and more green forest governance.
But women- led forestry management still faces challenges in Indonesia, he concedes. Some traditionally patriarchal societies are unaware of the advantages of women’s participation. Even when women are given the opportunity to work in the forestry industry, they are still expected to take care of the household chores and kids.
The women rangers of Damaran Baru say the positive effects they’ve already had have spurred them to keep working for future generations.
We want them to protect the forest, she said, and I invite other mothers to teach their children and the community about it like we have. ” Because when forests remain green, people remain prosperous”.