Meru Betiri National Park is a forestry area as a place of conservation and protection of the natural habitat of flora and fauna in it which serves to maintain the balance of nature and environmental conservation. The Meru Betiri National Park area consists of several areas including forests, marine areas, rehabilitation areas, and buffer areas consisting of several villages including Sanenrejo and Andongrejo villages. Before switching professions, the people of these two villages were very dependent on the resources in the Meru Betiri National Park area. The use of large and continuous amounts of resources can lead to various environmental problems. With these problems, the Meru Betiri National Park made several rehabilitation efforts by providing other economic alternatives such as oyster mushroom cultivation. Head of SPTN Region II Ambulu, Ir. Agust Dwi Andono said “ ” the National Park is a liaison between the community and UB, so that UB can channel assistance to the community and the community is expected to absorb and learn the training conducted to support the welfare through the cultivation of this mushroom.”
Efforts to rehabilitate the community through oyster mushroom business was carried out by the Syukur Mandiri Group and Jawara Meru Betiri, where in previous activities technical guidance related to the manufacture of baglog and oyster mushroom product innovation was accompanied by the handover of tools in the form of spinner inverters, and baglog mixer and press machines. Oyster mushroom business that is run only focuses on the production of baglog and product innovation only so far, oyster mushroom seeds used are still obtained from other manufacturers due to lack of knowledge and skills in breeding process technology. As it is known that in the manufacture of oyster mushroom baglog, F2 seeds are used, which are derivatives of F1 seeds produced by planting on new media. The purchase of seeds in other producers affects the expenditure of the group whose business is still unstable so that the group has limitations in developing the business. In addition, knowledge and insight about professional business institutional management systems and soft skills in building entrepreneurship are still lacking, this is indicated by incomplete bookkeeping, division of tasks and schedules between members that have not been structured, and also the lack of media utilization in the promotion and sale of Oyster Mushroom Products.
In helping to solve these problems, Universitas Brawijaya organizes community service activities Doctor of Service which is one of the strategic activities of LPPM Universitas Brawijaya. The activity entitled “developing strategic partnerships through strengthening capabilities, production efficiency and Oyster Mushroom entrepreneurship as a professional transfer of former illegal Logging perpetrators with the dissemination of Laminair and Autoclaf in the Meru Betiri area, Jember Regency” consisted of technical guidance, assistance, and grants for laminar air flow and autoclaf tools. Technical guidance was held on Thursday-Friday, July 13-14, 2023 at the Syukur Mandiri and Jawara Meru business groups.
Through technical guidance activities, education and training on the use of autoclaves and laminar air flow in the F2 mushroom breeding process is carried out. Then there is assistance and monitoring related to good business management. It is hoped that the community can maximize the potential of oyster mushroom cultivation by using appropriate breeding technology, so that the welfare of the community can be increased. The doctoral team participating in this activity was chaired by Dr. Fitria Dina Riana, SP, MP, La Choviya Air, STP, MP, Ph.D, Dr. Euis Elih Nurlaelih, SP, MP, Dr. Siti Asmaul Mustaniroh,STP, MP, and Devi Farah Azizah SSos, MAB and five doctoral students serve. In organizing the activities, the doctoral team served in collaboration with the Meru Betiri Jember National Park Hall and the governments of Sanenrejo and Andongrejo villages.
With this activity, the doctoral team serving UB hopes that with the community service in this second year, oyster mushroom cultivation can continue and develop. It can be seen from its high potential so that it can be an addition that can support the community’s economy. It is hoped that the partnership between Brawijaya University and Meru Betiri National Park and the Government of Sanenrejo and Andongrejo villages can provide beneficial results for all parties.