How Does Indonesia Plan Forest Rehabilitation Across Entire Watersheds?

Indonesia's approach to forest and land rehabilitation underwent a fundamental transformation with the enactment of PERMENLHK 10/2022 on July 20, 2022. This regulation establishes a sophisticated dual-track planning system that operates simultaneously at strategic and operational levels. The framework mandates two interconnected planning instruments: the Rencana Umum RHL DAS (General Plan for Forest and Land Rehabilitation in Watershed Areas), which provides 10-year strategic direction, and the Rencana Tahunan RHL (Annual Plan for Forest and Land Rehabilitation), which translates strategic goals into year-by-year operational programs. This architectural shift represents Indonesia's recognition that effective rehabilitation requires both long-term vision and short-term precision, integrated within the natural boundaries of watershed ecosystems rather than arbitrary administrative divisions.

1.0 The Planning Architecture: Strategic Vision Meets Annual Execution

Article 2 establishes that rehabilitation planning operates through a hierarchical yet interconnected system. The RURHL-DAS serves as the foundational strategic document, providing indicative direction for rehabilitation activities across an entire decade. This 10-year horizon allows planners to account for long-term ecological succession, climate variability, and socioeconomic evolution within watershed communities. The regulation explicitly requires that RURHL-DAS be based on three critical factors: biophysical conditions (soil degradation levels, hydrological functions, vegetation cover), socioeconomic conditions (land tenure patterns, community livelihoods, settlement distribution), and local cultural dynamics (traditional land management practices, indigenous knowledge systems, community governance structures). This tri-dimensional foundation ensures that rehabilitation planning is ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially acceptable.

The RTnRHL operates as the operational bridge between strategic vision and ground-level implementation. Prepared one year in advance (T-1), this annual plan specifies precise locations, activities, techniques, budgets, and responsible parties for the coming year's rehabilitation efforts. Article 3 distinguishes between RTnRH (rehabilitation within Forest Areas) and RTnRL (rehabilitation outside Forest Areas), recognizing that different land tenure regimes demand different planning approaches. Forest Area rehabilitation typically involves reforestation and natural regeneration techniques, while non-Forest Area rehabilitation emphasizes community-based agroforestry, environmental greening, and livelihood integration. This dual operational framework allows the annual planning process to respond flexibly to changing conditions—drought patterns, community capacity development, budget availability—while remaining aligned with the decade-long strategic trajectory.

Article 4 introduces a critical innovation: the Satuan Pemetaan Sasaran RHL (SPS RHL), or Rehabilitation Target Mapping Units. These spatial units aggregate land parcels sharing similar biophysical characteristics, particularly degradation levels. SPS RHL enables planners to classify rehabilitation challenges systematically—critical degraded lands requiring immediate intensive intervention versus moderately degraded areas suitable for gradual community-managed restoration. This classification system, detailed in Article 5, ensures that limited rehabilitation resources are allocated according to ecological urgency and restoration potential rather than political convenience or bureaucratic inertia. The SPS RHL framework also facilitates monitoring and evaluation, as rehabilitation success can be measured against baseline degradation indicators specific to each mapping unit.

2.0 The 10-Year Strategic Framework: RURHL-DAS Composition and Authority

Article 6 mandates that RURHL-DAS must include eight essential components that collectively provide comprehensive strategic direction. These components are: (1) biophysical analysis of the watershed, including topography, soil conditions, hydrology, and vegetation cover; (2) socioeconomic and cultural profiles of communities within the DAS; (3) critical land mapping identifying priority rehabilitation locations based on degradation severity and ecological importance; (4) rehabilitation location determination specifying which areas fall within Forest Areas versus non-Forest Areas; (5) indicative rehabilitation technique selection appropriate to each degradation type and location; (6) ten-year phasing and staging of rehabilitation activities; (7) indicative budget projections for the decade; and (8) institutional coordination mechanisms among government agencies, communities, and private sectors. This comprehensive composition ensures that RURHL-DAS functions as a true strategic blueprint rather than a mere aspirational document.

Article 7 establishes clear authority hierarchies for RURHL-DAS preparation. The Director General of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation prepares RURHL-DAS for inter-provincial watersheds and nationally strategic DAS. Provincial governors prepare RURHL-DAS for watersheds entirely within provincial boundaries. Regent/mayors prepare RURHL-DAS for watersheds within district/city boundaries. This multi-tier preparation system respects Indonesia's decentralization framework while ensuring that watershed-scale planning—which inherently crosses administrative boundaries—remains coherent. Article 8 requires that RURHL-DAS be prepared through participatory processes involving relevant government agencies, watershed management forums, community representatives, academic institutions, and private sector stakeholders. This multi-stakeholder approach enhances plan legitimacy, ensures local knowledge integration, and builds implementation commitment from the outset.

Article 9 specifies that RURHL-DAS must align with existing spatial planning instruments, particularly the Rencana Tata Ruang Wilayah (Regional Spatial Plan) at national, provincial, and district levels. This alignment requirement prevents rehabilitation planning from conflicting with other land use designations—industrial zones, urban expansion areas, mining concessions—which would undermine implementation feasibility. Article 10 establishes a five-year mid-term review mechanism, allowing RURHL-DAS to be revised in response to significant changes such as major policy shifts, ecological disasters (large-scale forest fires, landslides), or new scientific findings about restoration techniques. This adaptive management provision acknowledges that rigid adherence to decade-old plans may become counterproductive in dynamic socio-ecological systems.

3.0 The Annual Operational Plan: RTnRHL Preparation and Implementation

Article 11 mandates that RTnRHL be prepared annually based on RURHL-DAS strategic direction but adjusted for current-year conditions. The annual plan must specify: (1) precise rehabilitation locations with geographic coordinates; (2) specific technical activities (planting, soil conservation, agroforestry establishment, mangrove restoration); (3) detailed implementation schedules by month; (4) responsible implementing agencies or community groups; (5) annual budget allocations by activity type; and (6) monitoring and evaluation indicators with measurable targets. This operational specificity transforms the decade-long strategic vision into actionable programs with clear accountability mechanisms. Article 12 requires RTnRHL to be finalized by October of the preceding year (T-1), ensuring that implementing agencies and communities have adequate preparation time before the rehabilitation planting season begins.

Article 13 distinguishes between RTnRH (Forest Area rehabilitation) and RTnRL (non-Forest Area rehabilitation) preparation processes. RTnRH is prepared by Forest Management Units (KPH) or forestry technical implementing units, as these agencies possess mandate and capacity for forest area management. RTnRL is prepared by provincial or district environmental and forestry agencies in coordination with spatial planning and agriculture agencies, reflecting the multi-sectoral nature of land rehabilitation outside forest zones. This institutional differentiation recognizes that Forest Area rehabilitation operates under forestry law regimes (permits, concessions, conservation mandates), while non-Forest Area rehabilitation must navigate land ownership complexity, agrarian rights, and community land use preferences.

Article 14 establishes priority criteria for annual rehabilitation targeting. Priority is given to: (1) critical degraded lands threatening hydrological functions or causing downstream flooding and sedimentation; (2) water catchment areas (daerah resapan air) essential for dry season water security; (3) coastal abrasion zones where mangrove rehabilitation can provide natural coastal protection; (4) peatland degradation areas requiring hydrological restoration to prevent subsidence and fire risk; and (5) areas with strong community commitment and existing institutional capacity. These prioritization criteria operationalize the ecological urgency principle while pragmatically recognizing that rehabilitation success depends heavily on community participation and institutional readiness. Article 15 requires that RTnRHL be synchronized with annual government budget cycles (APBN for national budget, APBD for regional budgets) to ensure adequate and timely funding allocation.

4.0 Implementation Mechanisms: Techniques, Actors, and Coordination

Article 16 specifies approved rehabilitation techniques, organized by ecosystem type. For terrestrial ecosystems (ecosistem daratan), approved techniques include: reforestation with native species, enrichment planting in degraded forests, agroforestry systems combining timber and food crops, environmental greening in settlements and public facilities, and urban forest development. For mangrove ecosystems, approved techniques include: assisted natural regeneration allowing natural seedling recruitment, direct planting of appropriate mangrove species, hydrological restoration to restore tidal inundation patterns, and integrated mangrove-aquaculture (silvofishery) systems. For peatland ecosystems, approved techniques include: hydrological restoration through canal blocking and water table elevation, paludiculture (productive use of wet peatlands), and peat dome protection measures. This technique specification provides implementing agencies with scientifically validated options while allowing flexibility to adapt approaches to local conditions.

Article 17 identifies eligible implementing actors: government agencies (forestry offices, environmental agencies, watershed management centers), Forest Management Units (KPH), community forest management groups (kelompok tani hutan), village-owned enterprises (BUMDes), non-governmental organizations, universities and research institutions, and private sector entities through corporate social responsibility programs or partnership schemes. This multi-actor framework recognizes that government agencies alone lack the capacity and resources to implement rehabilitation at the required scale across Indonesia's vast degraded landscapes. Article 18 establishes coordination requirements: implementing actors must report quarterly progress to relevant authorities, participate in annual coordination meetings, and contribute data to national rehabilitation monitoring systems.

Article 19 introduces incentive mechanisms to encourage community and private sector participation. Incentives may include: seedling provision at no cost or subsidized rates, technical training and capacity building programs, temporary employment during rehabilitation activities, access to agroforestry products (fruits, timber, non-timber forest products) from rehabilitated areas, recognition and awards for successful rehabilitation achievements, and priority consideration for community forestry permits in rehabilitated zones. These incentives acknowledge that rehabilitation—especially on privately owned or customarily managed lands—requires sustained community effort and therefore must provide tangible benefits beyond abstract ecological improvement. Article 20 requires that all rehabilitation activities be documented with photographic evidence, community participation records, and planting survival rate monitoring conducted at 6-month intervals for three years post-planting.

5.0 Monitoring, Evaluation, and Adaptive Management

Article 21 establishes a three-tier monitoring system. Field-level monitoring is conducted by implementing actors who measure planting survival rates, vegetation growth, soil erosion reduction, and water infiltration improvement on a quarterly basis. Agency-level monitoring is conducted by provincial and national forestry agencies who compile field data, assess rehabilitation progress against annual targets, and identify implementation problems requiring intervention. National-level monitoring is conducted by the Directorate General of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation, which synthesizes agency reports into annual national rehabilitation achievement assessments reported to the Minister and ultimately to the President. This hierarchical monitoring system ensures accountability at each implementation level while providing national policymakers with comprehensive progress tracking.

Article 22 specifies evaluation criteria: ecological success (vegetation establishment, species diversity, soil quality improvement, hydrological function restoration), socioeconomic impact (livelihood benefits to local communities, employment generation, community institutional strengthening), and financial efficiency (cost per hectare rehabilitated, budget absorption rates, cost-effectiveness of different techniques). Evaluation is conducted annually to assess RTnRHL achievement and quinquennially to evaluate RURHL-DAS strategic effectiveness. Article 23 requires that evaluation findings be used for adaptive management—refining rehabilitation techniques, adjusting spatial priorities, modifying budget allocations, strengthening community engagement approaches—ensuring that the planning and implementation system continuously improves based on empirical evidence and lessons learned.

Article 24 mandates that all monitoring and evaluation data be integrated into the national Sistem Informasi Rehabilitasi Hutan dan Lahan (SIRHL), a web-based information system accessible to government agencies, research institutions, and the public. This data transparency provision enables external verification of government rehabilitation claims, facilitates research on restoration effectiveness, and allows communities and civil society organizations to hold implementing agencies accountable for achieving stated rehabilitation targets. Article 25 establishes sanctions for implementing actors who fail to meet survival rate thresholds (80% survival after one year), falsify monitoring data, or misappropriate rehabilitation budgets. Sanctions range from suspension of future rehabilitation contracts to termination of permits and potential criminal prosecution for corruption. These accountability provisions aim to prevent the endemic problem of "ghost planting" where rehabilitation is claimed on paper but never actually implemented on the ground.

Regulation Reference

Regulation: PERMENLHK No. 10 Tahun 2022
Full Title: Peraturan Menteri Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan Republik Indonesia Nomor 10 Tahun 2022 tentang Penyusunan Rencana Umum Rehabilitasi Hutan dan Lahan Daerah Aliran Sungai dan Rencana Tahunan Rehabilitasi Hutan dan Lahan
Enacted: July 20, 2022
Published: BN 2022/NO 687, 137 pages
Legal Basis: PP No. 26 Tahun 2020 on Forest Rehabilitation and Reclamation
Official Source: BPK Database - Details 235417

Legal Disclaimer

This analysis is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, regulatory interpretation may vary. For specific legal guidance regarding forest rehabilitation planning, watershed management compliance, or implementation requirements under PERMENLHK 10/2022, consult qualified Indonesian environmental legal counsel or contact the Directorate General of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.

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