Pendampingan Pembibitan Aren untuk Pemberdayaan Masyarakat dan Konservasi Alam yang Berkelanjutan di Desa Wonoasri, Kecamatan Tempurejo, Jember

Abstract

The 2025 Dosen Pulang Kampung (Lecturers Return to Village) program in Wonoasri Village, Tempurejo Subdistrict, Jember Regency, was implemented to support community empowerment and environmental conservation through capacity building in the cultivation and nursery development of sugar palms (Arenga pinnata). The program aimed to strengthen farmers’ technical skills in seed selection, nursery management, seedling maintenance, and sustainable cultivation practices, while also opening future economic opportunities through value-added palm-based products. Activities began with coordination meetings with Meru Betiri National Park as the main partner, followed by intensive training sessions for local farmers from the LMDHK Wonomulyo Group. In addition to farmer training, environmental education was delivered to MTs Nurus Salam students to foster early awareness of the ecological and economic importance of sugar palms. Program outcomes showed strong community engagement, improved technical competency among farmers, and reinforced collaboration between academia, conservation authorities, and local communities. Overall, this initiative contributes to the rehabilitation of palm populations within Meru Betiri National Park, enhances local economic resilience, supports food security, and promotes sustainable natural resource management at the village level.