History of WWF-Indonesia
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) started working in Indonesia as a Program Office of WWF International in the early 1960’s, under the auspices of the Ministry of Forestry. At this early stage main activities were surveys and research on mammal species, especially the endangered rhinoceros and tigers on the islands of Java and Sumatra.
The results of research later led to the efforts of conserving the forest habitat of which these species depend on. Ujung Kulon National Park on the western tip of Java was the first WWF field site in Indonesia. In the 1970s, the number of projects and areas covered under the program office grew significantly.
WWF started many terrestrial conservation initiatives in Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, and Papua. In the first half of 1980s, WWF-Indonesia Program in collaboration with the government developed a strategy for marine conservation. Implementation of a Marine conservation program in WWF-Indonesia Program started in the early 1990s.
WWF-Indonesia obtained legal entity in Indonesia and was registered as a foundation, or yayasan, in 1996. With the new legal status, and National Office status from WWF International, WWF-Indonesia established its own Board of Trustees, and secured much more flexibility in fund raising and program development.
In April 1998, the Indonesian Program office of WWF-International in Indonesia was transformed into WWF-Indonesia. Becoming legalised as an Indonesian organization with foundation status. With this change, WWF-Indonesia became a National Organization within the WWF Global Network, which consists of 27 National Organizations, 6 Associate Organizations, and 22 Program Offices around the world.
Until 2004, WWF-Indonesia has assisted the Government of Indonesia in the establishment of forest conservation areas, including Wasur National Park, Lorentz National Park, and Arfak Strict Nature Reserve in Papua; Kayan Mentarang and Betung Kerihun National Parks in Kalimantan; Bukit Tigapuluh National Park in Sumatra. In the development of Management Plans for these areas, WWF promoted the role of local communities in natural resource management and encouraged legal recognition of customary rights over access and use of natural resources in protected areas that are important for communities’ livelihoods.
WWF-Indonesia has also facilitated and supported the development of sustainable economic alternatives for local communities. Similar work in marine conservation was done in Aru Tenggara, Maluku, Takabone Rate and Bunaken Marine Parks in Sulawesi, and Cendrawasih National Park in Papua. Currently, WWF-Indonesia is continuing efforts in support of capacity building for better management in most of these conservation areas.
Today, WWF-Indonesia works in 25 sites, spread throughout 17 provinces in Indonesia. To find contact details of all our offices click here.