Consultancy Services for the Study of Forest Tenure and Utilization Conflicts in the Toili Baturube Forest Management Unit (KPH Toili Baturube) – Central Sulawesi

Background

The characteristics of forests as highly valuable resources result in access to utilization and control over forest resources consistently giving rise to conflicts. Forest tenure conflicts and land disputes within forest areas constitute distinct issues that are highly complex both socially and politically.

Forest tenure conflicts refer to various forms of disputes or conflicting claims regarding the control, management, utilization, and use of forest areas. Forestry conflicts or disputes are disagreements related to forest territories or forest areas involving various parties, including individuals, legal entities, institutions, and government bodies. In its existence, the forest serves not only as an ecological buffer but also as an economic support system for communities. Forest management and utilization must be oriented toward sustainability, justice, and community welfare.

Central Sulawesi possesses a very extensive forest area (covering approximately 70% of the land area), where land-based industrial development frequently generates conflict dynamics with ecological, social, and political implications. This condition is exacerbated by community land needs that often overlap with forest area status, particularly in villages directly adjacent to forests.

Conflict resolution can no longer be carried out through partial approaches or merely reactive responses to situations in the field. A strong and objective database is required as a basis for policy-making. Without in-depth studies concerning root causes, involved actors, and land tenure typologies, conflict resolution efforts risk being ineffective and may instead trigger new social vulnerabilities.

The Toili Baturube Forest Management Unit (KPH Toili Baturube) is a Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) under the Central Sulawesi Provincial Forestry Service. This KPH has a working area located across three administrative regencies, namely parts of North Morowali Regency, Banggai Regency, and Tojo Una-Una Regency. The total working area of KPH Toili Baturube reaches approximately 259,192 hectares, encompassing Protection Forest, Production Forest, and Limited Production Forest areas. Across these three regencies, industrial activities such as mining, oil palm plantations, and industrial forest plantations are highly intensive. This situation creates significant potential conflicts related to forest tenure and utilization. A Study on Forest Tenure and Utilization Conflicts in the KPH Toili Baturube area is required to formulate a conflict resolution model that is equitable, transparent, and supportive of the Results-Based Payment (RBP) program funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) within the REDD+ framework in Central Sulawesi. Through this study, each conflict case or location will be analyzed comprehensively so that the resulting control strategies are not only capable of mitigating environmental risks but also providing legal certainty and protection of the rights of local communities living within and around forest areas.

Job Purpose

KEMITRAAN will recruit an individual expert consultant whose primary task is to conduct an assessment of tenure and utilization conflicts within the KPH Toili Baturube area in order to provide information and data related to forest tenure and utilization conflicts. This includes analysis of root causes, identification of involved actors, land tenure typologies, and the development of models, strategies, and approaches for resolving tenure conflicts within the KPH Toili Baturube area.

This activity will be carried out by an individual consultant. However, in order to achieve comprehensive research results and considering time-efficiency factors, the consultant may establish a research team.

This study is expected to employ a qualitative approach to enable deeper exploration of root causes, dynamics, meanings, and potential solutions to the conflicts under investigation.

The locations and cases to be studied are as follows:

• Karya Makmur Village
  • There are 42 land parcels holding Freehold Title Certificates (SHM) covering an area of 31.5 hectares that are located within a forest area and within the Industrial Plantation Forest (HTI) concession of PT. Berkat Hutan Pusaka.
• Bukit Jaya Village
  • There has been land occupation since 1980, and Freehold Title Certificates exist within an area overlapping with the Industrial Plantation Forest (HTI) concession of PT. Berkat Hutan Pusaka, covering approximately 300 hectares.
• Piondo Village
  • There is land occupation within a forest area that also falls within the Industrial Plantation Forest (HTI) concession of PT. Berkat Hutan Pusaka.

Principal Responsibilities

The Consultant shall be responsible for the entire process of assessing tenure and utilization conflicts within the KPH Toili Baturube area. The tasks and activities to be undertaken include:

1. Conduct coordination with relevant stakeholders, the RBP PMU, and KPH.
2. Develop the methodology, implementation stages, and detailed research plan.
3. Identify involved parties (communities, legal entities, or government institutions) and analyze the background causes of land tenure conflicts at the study locations.
4. Facilitate workshops and discussions on the results of the conflict assessment in KPH Toili Baturube.
5. Ensure that all analyses and proposed conflict resolution measures comply with safeguard framework indicators, standards, and procedures designed to prevent and manage impacts on people and the environment, including the implementation of social and environmental safeguards and the Results-Based Payment (RBP) GCF-REDD+ program framework.
6. Document all activity processes through photographs and videos.

Deliverables

1. Activity implementation report.
2. Assessment report containing conflict distribution maps and conflict typologies, as well as strategies and recommendations for conflict resolution, which can serve as a reference model for resolving and mitigating tenure conflicts within forest areas.

Time Frame

The assignment period is from June M2 to August M2 2026 (2 months).

Budget

The available budget ceiling is IDR 80,000,000.

Qualifications

1. Possesses at least a Bachelor's Degree (S1) in a relevant field, particularly Forestry, Environmental Science, Public Policy, Social Sciences, or Community Empowerment. A Master's Degree (S2) is preferred.
2. Has a minimum of five (5) years of experience in handling tenure issues, forestry conflict resolution, or community empowerment in forest-adjacent areas.
3. Experience working with government agencies and other stakeholders in Central Sulawesi Province is preferred.
4. Experience in preparing assessment documents that comply with social and environmental safeguard standards.

How to Apply

Interested parties may submit a proposal containing:

1. A technical proposal outlining the methodology, implementation stages, and activity timeline.
2. A Budget Plan (RAB) required for this activity, including personnel costs and activity implementation costs.
3. Curriculum Vitae (CV) or consultant résumé.
4. A list of experience in producing similar outputs from at least the last three assignments, using the following format:

Lamar Sekarang