JAKARTA, THE NUSANTARA POST – The Indonesian Capital City (IKN) Authority has involved several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to build a sustainable forest city that aligns with nature conservation, emphasizing biodiversity and environmental balance.
The NGOs involved are the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia, Jejak Pulang Foundation, and The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF).
“The concept of a forest city symbolizes incredible wealth that needs to be integrated with modern science, so there will be many aspects developed in building the IKN,” said Bambang Susantono, the Head of the IKN Authority, in a statement in Jakarta on Friday.
Bambang explained that the development of IKN needs to consider three globally campaigned issues.
Firstly, there is the evident climate change. Secondly, there are environmental issues regarding how humans, nature, and culture can coexist. And thirdly, there is biodiversity.
For this reason, the IKN Authority invites all parties to work together in building the IKN in East Kalimantan.
BOSF, as one of the non-profit organizations in Indonesia tasked with protecting and conserving orangutans, welcomes the collaborative initiative by the IKN Authority to protect the environmental ecosystem, including orangutan habitats.
Orangutans, as the only great ape species in Asia, play a central role in maintaining the natural balance in the biodiverse forests of Borneo.
“They are extraordinary and rare creatures, but unfortunately, their population is declining due to human activities that neglect wildlife conservation aspects,” said Riana Andam Dewi, the Secretary of BOSF, as quoted by The Nusantara Post from Antara (14/7).
Furthermore, she expressed that the collaboration with the IKN Authority is an important step as it can enhance collaboration and concrete actions in conservation, habitat protection, orangutan rehabilitation, release programs, and the rehabilitation of critical land with the active participation of the local community.
Meanwhile, Juliarta Bramansa Ottay, the Chairman of Jejak Pulang Foundation, hopes that the collaboration with the IKN Authority can serve as a model for Indonesia and the world, demonstrating that humans can live in harmony with nature.
“Through this collaboration, we hope that IKN, as the Nusantara city, becomes an Indonesian cultural city that has a good relationship with its environment, as exemplified by our ancestors and as we envision for the future,” said Juliarta.
Jejak Pulang Foundation is a rehabilitation organization for orangutans established in 2014 in Samboja, East Kalimantan. Currently, the foundation employs 90 people, 90% of whom are local residents who help 13 orangutans reintegrate into the wild.
WWF Indonesia also welcomes the development plans for IKN and the collaboration in preserving biodiversity in the region.
“We are proud to participate and realize IKN as a green capital, in the form of a forest capital that can develop sustainably together with the community,” said Aditya Bayunanda, the Executive Director and CEO of WWF Indonesia.
Aditya stated that to achieve the vision of IKN as a sustainable forest city, it requires a strong ecosystem support.
According to him, effective planning is needed to mitigate the impacts on wildlife, local communities, and the surrounding environment of IKN.
“As one of the biggest ecosystem supporters needed to ensure this sustainability, we are also in the area known as the ‘Heart of Borneo,’ so this is an important manifestation for us to jointly preserve the landscape within the new capital city,” concluded Aditya (Wan)
