villages or nagari supported through PLUP processes
Direct implementation locations under Hutanriau’s project package.
Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities and Territorial Governance
Participatory Land Use Planning across Riau and West Sumatra
Combining GIS, participatory mapping, conflict analysis, wildlife-corridor evidence, and community land-use proposals across six locations in two provinces
Project overview
Project Overview
Hutanriau implemented a Participatory Land Use Planning package across six villages or nagari in Riau and West Sumatra.
The project combined spatial analysis, community facilitation, participatory mapping, land-use conflict identification, wildlife-route evidence, and community land-use proposals to support more informed and inclusive landscape planning.
Documented reach
At a glance
provinces of direct implementation
Riau and West Sumatra.
districts involved
Kuantan Singingi, Dharmasraya, and Sijunjung.
location-based PLUP documentation packages prepared
Includes maps, analyses, issues, and proposed land-use directions for each location.
Documented Outputs
- PLUP processes completed in Kasang and Seberang Cengar, Kuantan Singingi.
- PLUP processes completed in Timpeh and Taratak Tinggi, Dharmasraya.
- PLUP processes completed in Kamang and Aia Amo, Sijunjung.
- Participatory maps and spatial evidence prepared for six villages or nagari.
- Land-use issues, conflicts, community priorities, and ecological considerations documented.
- Critical wildlife routes identified as part of the spatial planning process.
- Land-use proposals and draft agreements prepared for the six locations.
- Project reports, maps, analyses, and supporting documentation produced.
Why this work mattered
Project Context
The wider RIMBA programme supported landscape management across areas connecting conservation landscapes in Riau, Jambi, and West Sumatra. Hutanriau’s direct implementation package focused on six villages or nagari in Riau and West Sumatra.
Communities and local governments required clearer spatial evidence to understand existing land use, community priorities, land-use conflicts, ecological considerations, and future development options.
Participatory Land Use Planning provided a structured process for combining geospatial information with community knowledge. The process enabled local stakeholders to identify current land uses, discuss competing interests, recognise important ecological areas, and develop proposals for future land management.
The project was implemented in Kasang and Seberang Cengar in Kuantan Singingi, Timpeh and Taratak Tinggi in Dharmasraya, and Kamang and Aia Amo in Sijunjung.
What we set out to do
Objectives
- Develop participatory land-use evidence for six villages or nagari in Riau and West Sumatra.
- Strengthen community and local stakeholder capacity to understand and apply Participatory Land Use Planning.
- Document existing land use, community priorities, spatial issues, and land-use conflicts.
- Identify critical wildlife routes and other ecological considerations relevant to land-use planning.
- Prepare community-informed land-use proposals and draft agreements for future landscape management.
- Strengthen dialogue between communities, village or nagari governments, and relevant institutions.
Delivery
What Hutanriau Did
- Collected and analysed spatial and secondary data for the six project locations.
- Conducted PLUP training and capacity-building activities.
- Facilitated community discussions on land use, priorities, risks, and future development.
- Implemented participatory mapping of existing land use and community-managed areas.
- Conducted field validation and collection of supporting spatial information.
- Analysed land-use issues and conflicts.
- Identified critical wildlife routes and ecological considerations.
- Prepared maps, spatial analyses, and proposed land-use directions.
- Facilitated the preparation of draft land-use agreements and recommendations.
Results and learning
Early Outcomes
Spatial evidence became more meaningful through community participation
The project demonstrated that spatial data is most useful when it is discussed, interpreted, and validated with the people who use and manage the landscape. Participatory mapping helped connect technical information with local knowledge, land-use practices, community priorities, and concerns about future development.
PLUP created a shared platform for discussing competing land uses
The process provided communities and local stakeholders with a structured space to identify existing land uses, discuss conflicts and risks, and consider different options for future land management.
Rather than treating maps as final technical products, the project used mapping as part of a wider process of dialogue, analysis, and local decision-making.
Cross-province implementation strengthened Hutanriau’s operational capacity
Implementation across six locations in two provinces demonstrated Hutanriau’s ability to combine GIS, community facilitation, field coordination, participatory methods, and reporting across different administrative and social contexts.
Land-use proposals require continued institutional follow-up
PLUP documents and draft agreements provide a basis for future planning, but their long-term value depends on continued community ownership, formal recognition, government follow-up, integration into village or nagari planning, and periodic updating as land-use conditions change.
Evidence notes
Limits of the Evidence
Evidence boundary
Hutanriau directly implemented its project package in six villages or nagari in Riau and West Sumatra. The project should not be described as direct implementation across the entire Riau, Jambi, and West Sumatra RIMBA corridor.
The available evidence supports claims about participatory mapping, PLUP facilitation, spatial analysis, conflict identification, wildlife-route analysis, land-use proposals, and draft agreements.
The preparation of maps, proposals, and draft agreements does not by itself demonstrate formal legal recognition, adoption into government planning, resolution of all land-use conflicts, or long-term changes in land management.
Any claim regarding formal adoption, reduced conflict, improved conservation outcomes, or implementation of proposed land-use arrangements requires additional follow-up evidence.
Project album
Field Documentation
Selected photographs documenting project activities, field implementation, and community participation.
Work with us
Planning locally grounded environmental work in Riau?
Hutanriau collaborates with communities, donors, government agencies, research institutions, civil society organisations, and responsible private-sector partners.