Landscape Approach in West Flores
Mbeliling landscape has rich forests with several rare and locally endemic bird species living in a mosaic with agroforests and agricultural land. These forests have supported people’s livelihood and as population increases and people seek more land this can be a challenge for the conservation of the forest. The major sources of livelihoods in the area are agroforestry and rice.
Burung Indonesia has an ambitious program of participatory landscape management which is encouraging local people to manage their agroforestry and agricultural systems in ways that are sustainable and that support biodiversity. Burung aims to achieve conservation, community empowerment and poverty alleviation. Several sustainable management activities are being promoted to achieve these goals in an integrated way. It is encouraging that several species of locally endemic birds can be observed in the agroforestry systems around the villages – conservation can be compatible with development.
