Conflict Mitigation Program for intervention villages
The handling of conflicts between animals and humans is a shared responsibility, between communities, governments and also groups on the basis of the environment. One of them is the conflict between Elephants and Humans that usually occur in the protected area of Giam Siak Kecil.
Where the area is a protected area defined by UNESCO as a biosphere forest area located in Riau Indonesia and also Home for the big animals of Sumatran Elephant. But over time the protected area was transformed into a industrial estate for oil palm plantation and also acacia and ekaliptus plantations which of course spend the extent of the protected area that is home to the Sumatran Elephant which is also exacerbated by the presence of residential in it and create a very big conflict for human or elephant itself.
It is on this basis that the Rimba Satwa Foundation (RSF) returns to embrace the local community in the area to jointly fight the conflict and reduce the loss of lives or loss of material as before. Desa Serai Wangi and Tasik Serai Timur are the 4th villages that are the areas of RSF’s awareness. With the program of establishing and enhancing the capacity of conflict mitigation teams in RSF intervention villages trying to invite the community to participate in the protection of protected areas that also provide the standard of good handling and prevention so that the number of casualties or material losses can be reduced.
RSF together with village governments work together to build an independent community in handling existing conflicts but with higher levels of environmental awareness. Through this program, it is expected that the Sumatran Elephants present within the protected area do not rub against the community and the community no longer considers the Elephant as a pest. Where the people who are in the area are planting oil palm and banana trees which is the favorite food of the elephant itself.