History of RMI

"Moving Through Time Together: Our Journey, Struggles, and Dedication."

1992

RMI, The Indonesian Institute for Forest and Environment, was established in Bogor on September 18, 1992, as a non-governmental organization focusing on issues of natural resources and the environment. RMI was initially founded by several students from the Faculty of Forestry at the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) who were part of the organizing committee for the 1989 Sylva Indonesia Congress. They were driven by the spirit of creating a platform or forum for students and the public to actively engage in environmental programs, with the aim of focusing on social fields; developing research in forestry and environmental fields, as well as analyzing regulations and policies closely related to forestry and the environment; developing action programs in forestry and environmental fields, especially those based on community participation; establishing information systems in forestry and environmental fields in collaboration with relevant parties at both national and international levels; and creating an educational system for the community to increase public awareness, knowledge, and understanding of forestry and environmental issues.

1992 - 1996

During its initial management period (1992–1996), RMI's activities focused on restructuring and preparing the governance of the organization as a non-governmental entity. In its early years, the Policy Advocacy and Environmental Education programs were conducted through the Environmental Education Route (REPLING). REPLING became one of RMI's most well-known programs. This program has been implemented since 1992 and continues to this day, recognized by the Ashoka Foundation as an effective method of environmental education. To date, the REPLING program has reached over 40,000 participants and involved more than 1,500 facilitators. These facilitators are young people from diverse backgrounds who share a passion for contributing to environmental conservation efforts.

1993

Since 1993, RMI has begun exploring the concept of Gender Equality in Natural Resource Management (NRM) and internalizing it into RMI’s programs and approaches. RMI then received support to establish a community-based Gender School in NRM, which was actively implemented between 1998 and 2002. To this day, gender equality in the management of natural resources remains an approach applied by RMI, both in organizing communities and in networking, advocacy, and campaigning efforts.

1998

Since 1998, RMI has been directly working with Indigenous Peoples and local communities in Bogor Regency and Sukabumi Regency in West Java, as well as Lebak Regency in Banten. Over time, RMI expanded its work areas beyond Java Island, engaging with local communities in South Solok, West Sumatra, East Lombok, NTB, and local communities in NTT, among others. Although the work outside West Java and Banten was not as intensive, RMI continued to prioritize community organizing efforts. Lessons learned from these organizing activities were then brought into advocacy efforts, which RMI typically conducted through networks with various civil society and government partners. During this period, RMI, together with Indigenous Peoples in Lebak Regency and various civil society organizations at the national level, also began advocating for the recognition of Indigenous Peoples' rights.

2008

Since 2008, RMI has actively brought together rural and urban youth to inspire each other, share information, and build solidarity. This began with the formation of Barudak RMI in 2008, the Jejak Ramah Bumi (Jerami) Community in 2011, Relawan 4 Life in 2014, and eventually the initiation of a national youth movement consolidation platform called Kaum Muda Tanah Air (KATA) Indonesia in 2021, in collaboration with 18 other organizations. Due to this experience, RMI is often trusted to lead various youth programs at both national and regional levels, such as Suara Muda Nusantara and Youth and Land Asia. In 2013, in addition to participating in the National Inquiry process conducted by the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) on agrarian conflicts within Forest Areas, RMI, along with the Indigenous Forest Coalition, began preparing legal procedures for the recognition of Indigenous Forests through a national action research project involving 13 Indigenous Communities.

2015

The long struggle for the recognition of the rights of the Kasepuhan Indigenous Peoples culminated in the issuance of Lebak Regency Regional Regulation Number 8 of 2015 on the Recognition, Protection, and Empowerment of Kasepuhan Indigenous Communities (Perda Lebak No. 8/2015). Due to its expanded focus on agrarian issues and community organizing efforts, RMI has been a member of the International Land Coalition since 2003, providing a platform for advocacy, capacity building, and sharing lessons on agrarian and land issues at the global level.

2016 - Now

Since 2016, RMI has been developing a leadership education curriculum for youth called the Short Course on Environmental Volunteering for Social Change, which later evolved into Spora, representing the spirit of spreading and regenerating social and environmental movements that RMI hopes to cultivate among its participants and alumni. Utilizing Lebak Regional Regulation No. 8/2015, RMI also facilitated the restitution of Indigenous Forests enabled by Constitutional Court Decision No. 35/PUU-X/2012. The Karang Kasepuhan Indigenous Forest facilitated by RMI became one of the first eight Indigenous Forests returned by the government. To date, five Indigenous Forests have been returned to the Kasepuhan Indigenous Peoples in Lebak Regency through the facilitation of RMI in collaboration with the Indigenous Forest Coalition.