High Conservation Values (HCVs) are biological, ecological, social or cultural values that are considered outstandingly significant or critically important, at the national, regional or global levels. An HCV initiative is aimed at establishing conservation and protection of those values located in production lands, complementing official conservation efforts. In practice, however, the assessment and identification of HCVs are largely associated with a requirement for voluntary certification schemes for producers of timber and agro commodities.

To date, application of the HCV approach as a tool for spatial planning and other policy platforms is rare in Indonesia. This Policy Brief makes a case to look at the HCV approach as a fundamental tool to integrate conservation and production objectives at larger landscape or jurisdictional areas.