In 1997, Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI) was established. A period during which all data, information, and forest management were conducted privately. Due to this circumstance, not many people knew about the condition of the forest at that time. On the other side, forest degradation is worsening due to inadequate public control and forest governance. Under these conditions, it is vital to handle data and information on forestry in an open manner to enable equitable and sustainable management of forest resources.

Through the “Probela” program, the initiative to establish FWI was born. A program initiated by several non-governmental organizations as part of a civil society effort to monitor forest management activities. This program spawned a network of independent forest monitors whose mission is to conduct more comprehensive monitoring of all forest management practices. This network eventually paved the way for the formation of FWI.

As a dynamic institution, FWI continues to adapt to the changing needs and trends of the times. On July 18, 2014, FWI’s organizational form reverted to Association, after having evolved from a work program to a foundation-style independent organization. It is believed that this change will enable organizational components to contribute to the realization of FWI’s vision, mission, and priority programs. Included among FWI’s priority programs are:

1. Forest Conditions and Illegal Activities Monitoring

FWI monitors forest conditions through research, building databases and information, field checks, investigations of forest destruction, analysis of satellite imagery, optimizing monitoring networks, field documentation, etc. This is done to ensure that FWI’s advocacy and campaigns are always based on irrefutable field data. This monitoring enables FWI to inform the public about the true condition of Indonesia’s forests and to identify the actors responsible for deforestation, forest degradation, and social conflicts.

2. Advocacy and campaigns promote better forest governance.

FWI’s advocacy and campaigns are always based on field data and facts obtained through monitoring forest conditions. All of this is carried out in order to realize better forest governance through an accessible data and information management system, which will lead to sustainable and equitable forest resource management. In addition, advocacy and campaigns are conducted to alter the behaviour of those responsible for deforestation, forest degradation, and social conflict for the better. In addition to ensuring the recognition and protection of indigenous or local community’s rights.

3. Community Participation in Monitoring Forests and Sustainable Forest Management

Indigenous and local communities are directly affected by ineffective forest governance. This circumstance gives indigenous and local communities a crucial role in forest monitoring. In particular, the forest region that has sustained them for generations. FWI continues to provide assistance to local communities and indigenous peoples so that they can independently monitor and protect their territories from the threat of natural resource extraction. Specifically, forest use that results in deforestation, forest degradation, and social conflict. FWI also encourages and assists indigenous and local communities to use forests in a sustainable and equitable manner.

4. Promoting Sustainable Forest Management

As a form of support for sustainable forest management, FWI also promotes forest management practices that have been demonstrated to maintain forest sustainability in a given region. Protect and recognize the rights of indigenous peoples, whether through forest management practices incorporating indigenous peoples’ local systems of knowledge or through government forest protection policies.

Contact Us

Secretariat of Forest Watch Indonesia,

Sempur Kaler rd Number 62 Bogor, West Java, 16129, Indonesia

Telp : +62 251 8333 308

Email : fwibogor@fwi.or.id