PELALAWAN – PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP), a member of the APRIL Group, remains committed to resolving forest and land fires in Riau Province.

Through the Fire Free Village Program which started in 2014, this company has involved 42 villages in five districts with an area of 902,872 hectares.

As part of efforts to enhance this program, RAPP recently hosted a Coordination Meeting with 52 Forest Protection Rangers from five districts in the company's operations territories on Thursday, December 12, 2024, at the Unigraha Hotel, Riau Complex, Pelalawan Regency.

One of the rangers who is actively involved in this program is Ihsan Kusnaidi (40), a resident of Langgam Village, Pelalawan Regency.

His journey as a ranger began with his concern about the negative impacts of forest fires which were felt directly by his family.

“Every time the fire season shows up, I am concerned since my kid has ISPA (Acute Respiratory Infection). That makes me extremely concerned. We must acknowledge that fires not only harm the environment, but also our health and lives,” added Ihsan.

This concern prompted Ihsan to join the ranger team in the Fire Free Village Program. He felt the need to play an active role in preventing fires which had been disturbing the community. Now, as a ranger, Ihsan not only monitors land for potential fires, but also educates the public about the importance of preventing forest and land fires.

“We often carry out door-to-door outreach and visit schools to teach the younger generation about the dangers of forest fires and the importance of protecting the environment,” he added. Ihsan, a ranger for almost a decade, acknowledges that being able to safeguard his family and the surrounding environment from fire makes him feel more at ease.

“As a ranger, I am fighting for a better future for our children,” he said forcefully.

The RAPP Fire Free Village Program consists of three stages that support each other to improve the social and economic capacity of the community without relying on the traditional method of clearing land by burning.

1. Fire Aware Community (FAC)
At this stage, the program focuses on counseling and educating the community about the impact of fires and the importance of changing behavior in managing land.

2. Fire Free Village (FFV)
This stage focuses on achieving freedom from fire by ensuring that there are no more land burning activities. People are encouraged to use environmentally friendly farming techniques.

3. Fire Resilient Community (FRC)
This final stage aims to make these villages independent in preserving nature through training that improves the social and economic skills of the community.

On June 20, 2024, the MoU between RAPP and the local government was signed at the Unigraha Hotel in Pangkalan Kerinci.

The ceremony was attended by H Zukri, Regent of Pelalawan, and Hambali, Acting Regent of Kampar. Regent Zukri expressed gratitude in his address for the program's good impact.

“The fire-free village program initiated by RAPP should be appreciated because this is a noble intention to keep our country free from fire,” said Zukri.

Matius Ewanto, RAPP's Deputy Director, also said that this initiative is part of the company's social obligation.

“We hope that this collaboration can have a significant positive impact on the environment and surrounding communities,” he said.

The RAPP Fire Free Village Program has provided new hope for communities affected by forest and land fires.

This collaborative progress by communities, businesses, and the government represents the battle to build a better environment and a future free of forest and land fires.

Through continued strengthening of its commitment, RAPP seeks to create sustainable change for a safer and more prosperous future for future generations. (release)