Same place, new trees.
PT Cargill Indonesia Branch Purwodadi once again shows their commitment in taking care environment surrounds. It started in Ketitang Village, Godong, Grobogan District, where their factory is located. Last year in 2016, 1000 Mahogany were planted alongside the main street of the village. This year, Cargill team wanted for something different with more impacts and personal.
ACIAR continues to work with Trees4Trees to explore about community forests especially community-based commercial forestry (CBCF) related farmers business networks in forestry.
Last year, it was MTG (Master Tree Grower) evaluation where farmers joined the MTG program in 2015 were evaluated to know if they really practice technical guides and theory to get maximum value. The MTG evaluation is to refine the MTG courses in the future.
Carbon has been our epic issue due to global warming. Carbon levels increased since Industrial Revolution (1800s) where natural sources, especially the combustion of fossil fuels, were used massively for human activites and the process of the industry. These caused ‘greenhouse effect’ where atmosphere traps the outgoing heat from inside and makes heat goes back. This trapped heat then makes temperatures higher and changes the climate.
Today, we still contribute in producing carbon emission by doing some habits we are accustomed with.
It was March 2016 that Cargill Indonesia Branch Semarang donated 1000 trees of Albizia for the very first time to farmers in Semarang. Later on this year, Cargill Indonesia Branch Semarang continues to give their support for environment and social aspects: another 1000 trees of Albizia, proving a commitment to environment as priority and value as a company.
When rain comes starting from November, it is planting time for Trees4Trees with the farmers. All seedlings has been distributed, the lands are clean from wild grass, and farmers are ready to plant. Planting time has started in several locations of T4T’s planting area: Pati, Semarang, Magelang, Klaten, Purbalingga, Banyumas, Kebumen, Tegal and Ambarawa.
ACIAR (Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research) evaluated Master Tree Grower (MTG) Program, a program that gives some trainings to local farmers forestry technique skill to maximize tree growth as the result. MTG program was held in Pati, 2014 with 17 farmers joined this program.
This evaluation aims to know the influence of MTG program to local farmers in Pati. This activity was held November 2-6th 2016 by Mr. Muktasam from Mataram University as MTG evaluator, represents ACIAR.
Trees4Trees’ mascot program is to empower community forest in Indonesia. During our monitoring season, we found out that our farmers’ stories are interesting. It’s personal and honest. They told us their motivation, the good things they can do by planting and being a farmer, and why they are so happy to join Trees4Trees. Here are two stories, we collected from our farmers in Semarang and Boyolali.
In the middle of 2016, it’s nursery time for Trees4Trees.
This nursery is set to produce 100.000 baby trees in two different locations, Pati and Purbalingga. What makes it more different is, this time Trees4Trees also cooperates with one farmer group in Purbalingga. A cooperation that also has been an education program for local community for growing high quality of seedlings.
On Thursday, April 28th 2016, Trees4Trees got a visitation from Jenny of Tari Travel Indonesia. For information, Tari Travel is one of Trees4Trees supporters, a travel agency in Makassar, which has been T4T’s partner for more than 2 years. Jenny came to investigate the tour potential on the route from Yogyakarta to Magelang (Borobudur) and the mountains Merapi and Merbabu. At the same time she got the good idea to see the trees Tari has planted and how they can be part of future trips.
On March 16 2016 Cargill, Semarang Branch as the second planting project of Cargill, planted 1000 Albazia trees. This is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility efforts which means that the company should care not only for the environment but for the local community as well.
Albazia trees were chosen because they are relatively easy to grow, fast growing, and have economical value at the time of harvest. Albazia is also good for capturing water.