Last updated: April 2023
Located in downtown Bandung, with an area of 3.8 hectares, Babakan Siliwangi (more commonly known as Baksil) has been declared The World City Forest on September 27, 2011, by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It is part of the green belt of Bandung and is a place of recreation for residents and features a canopied walking path. Declaring the forest as part of the urban green belt of the city has not been an easy task for the management team of Baksil as in 2011, there was a plan to build privately-owned multistories building at the site, which would greatly reduce the environmental quality of the area. In response to this challenge, the team initiated a series of awareness actions as well as a planting campaign to raise the profile of the forest, as well as to address several environmental challenges such as emissions reduction, noise pollution, soil degradation, and fauna and flora conservation. The intervention proved to be very successful as it established the Baksil forest as a new public space that enabled people to get to know and better appreciate their city forest. Several communities have been holding events in this area to activate the idle space, while inviting more people to interact with the forest, making it to be invaluable for the local community and the city of Bandung. (1,2,3,4,5)
Baksil 2
https://aset.idetrips.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/forest-walk-babakan-siliwangi.jpg
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- Green corridors and green belts
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change mitigation
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Protection of natural ecosystems
Project objectives
Babakan Siliwangi is an urban forest area located in the northern part of Bandung City and it's of utmost importance for the people of the city of Bandung. Through the intervention implemented in 2011, the goals were defined as follows:
-To protect the remaining 3.8 ha Babakan Siliwangi (Baksil) forest from being cut down and to transform it into a resort area for tourism activities.
-To increase Baksil's function as a water catchment area to mitigate flood events and improve soil quality.
-To function as the lung of Bandung city as Baksil hosts a large variety of tree species capable of sequestering carbon dioxide by planting a variety of trees.
-To preserve the habitat of several plant and animal species.
-To increase green open space in Bandung City as well as to raise awareness and build the capacity for environmental challenges and social responsibilities. (1,2,3,4,5)
Implementation activities
The intervention was implemented in 2011 when the International Children and Youth Conference (TUNZA) was held in collaboration with UNEP and the Indonesian Ministry of Environment. Bandung has been chosen as the host of the conference because while the city of Bandung has been widely known it is also expected to improve further the conditions of its environment. 1200 teenagers were invited with their chaperones from more than 60 countries to conduct a peaceful protest through a “forest walk” called TUNZA. 2,500 trees were provided by the TUNZA committee for plantation. Furthermore, Baksil, a 3.8 ha habitat for 1,661 species of trees and 149 animal species was officially granted the status of World Urban Forest by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on September 27, 2011. The world urban forest is now guarded and maintained by the Agriculture, Forestry and Plantation office of Bandung City. (1,2,3,4)
Climate-focused activities
Climate change mitigation:
- Increase green urban nature for carbon storage (wetlands, tree cover)
- Raise public awareness of behaviours, lifestyle and cultural changes with mitigation potential
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Means for conservation governance
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
- Capacity building
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Non-government organisation/Civil Society
- Citizens or community groups
- Young people and children
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- National government
- Local government/municipality
- Multilateral organisation
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Dissemination of information and education
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The intervention was hosted by the Municipality of Banduang with help from the National Ministry of Enviornment and UNEP. It was implemented with the help of the Bandung Creative City Forum (BCCF) an NGO created in 2008, and youth volunteers. (1,2,3)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(Law No. 26 of 2007 on Green Open Space. Based on Law No. 26 of 2007, Green Open Space is divided into two types, namely Public Green Open Space and Private Green Open Space. Based on Article 29 paragraphs (2) and (3) of the law, the proportion of green open space in the city area is at least 30 (thirty) per cent of the city area, while specifically for public green open space the proportion of the area that must be provided by the government is at least an area of 20 (twenty) per cent of the city area. (5)
)
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(Regional Regulation No. 2 of 2004 concerning the Spatial Plan for the City of Bandung. (5))
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Unknown
Type of funding
- Unknown
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Enhanced carbon sequestration
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Reduce financial cost for urban management
Socio-cultural impacts
- Education
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts, Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Antara News (2011), World youths to promote environment in Bandung, available at Source link (accessed 02-04-2023)
2. Antara News (2011), Tunza Conference To Make Bandung World Urban Forest, available at Source link (accessed 02-04-2023)
3. O2Indonesia (2013), Story of a City Forest, available at Source link (accessed 02-04-2023)
4. 02Indonesia (2013), Why we should care about our city forest, available at Source link (accessed 02-04-2023)
5. Institut Teknologi Bandung (2012), KAJIAN PERKOTAAN: MEMPERTAHANKAN BABAKAN SILIWANGI SEBAGAI RUANG TERBUKA HIJAU KOTA BANDUNG, available at Source link (accessed 02-04-2023)
6. Netherlandsandyou (2020), A Forest Sensation in the Middle of the City, available at Source link (accessed 02-04-2023)
7. Meredian Alam & Pamela Nilan (2018): The campaign to save the Bandung city forest in Indonesia, Indonesia and the Malay World, DOI: 10.1080/13639811.2018.1496623 (accessed 02-04-2023)
2. Antara News (2011), Tunza Conference To Make Bandung World Urban Forest, available at Source link (accessed 02-04-2023)
3. O2Indonesia (2013), Story of a City Forest, available at Source link (accessed 02-04-2023)
4. 02Indonesia (2013), Why we should care about our city forest, available at Source link (accessed 02-04-2023)
5. Institut Teknologi Bandung (2012), KAJIAN PERKOTAAN: MEMPERTAHANKAN BABAKAN SILIWANGI SEBAGAI RUANG TERBUKA HIJAU KOTA BANDUNG, available at Source link (accessed 02-04-2023)
6. Netherlandsandyou (2020), A Forest Sensation in the Middle of the City, available at Source link (accessed 02-04-2023)
7. Meredian Alam & Pamela Nilan (2018): The campaign to save the Bandung city forest in Indonesia, Indonesia and the Malay World, DOI: 10.1080/13639811.2018.1496623 (accessed 02-04-2023)
Baksil 1
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTNdgwRO3mh5-D9jdeKBpSnh5F49Vr9q8Nncg&usqp=CAU
Baksil ForestWalk 2
https://img.bandung.go.id/images/feature/2021/10/18/header/163962838381-forest-walk-babakan-siliwangi.jpg
Baksil ForestWalk
https://blog.reservasi.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Forest-Walk-Babakan-Siliwangi.jpg
Baksil 3
https://www.pegipegi.com/travel/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/shutterstock_1049172905.jpg
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the "NBS 2022" UNA Asian extension project funded by the Asia-Europe Foundation.