A fountainhead of knowledge and always a source of inspiration, 

he has left behind a rich harvest of memories to cherish, honour and emulate

Anyone who wants to participate in this "tribute page", please send email to : 

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This is shocking news. Had no inkling that Art was unwell.

A tremendous loss to the global forestry community and especially to the future of Asian tropical forestry.

This is indeed very sad news. I met Art earlier this year in Jakarta and we had a nice conversation and talked about the fantastic work he has done in Indonesia on RIL and certification. The last years he was very much involved in The Borneo Initiative (TBI), as the top specialist and that worked very well. He guided a lot of companies successful towards FSC.

It was a surprise to hear this very sad news. It was a very good colleague and friend.

On behalf of the Guyanese timber sector, I extend our sympathy to Art Klassen’s relatives and to the TFF community at large.

The late Art Klassen worked many years in Guyana and introduced many transformational changes to local timber harvesting practices.

At TFF meetings, I was always impressed by his experience and passion for the work of TFF.  I sincerely hope that TFF Indonesia continue to function with the same dynamism as when Art was alive.

He was a very good role model and will be missed.

Art was one of the more remarkable human beings we have all been blessed to have known. I knew without question that I would learn and be inspired every time I spoke with him.

He was always ready to help and teach all that he met with an open heart.

I am so very honored to have known him. And so very sad to hear that this world has lost him. He was truly a legend of a person.

We have stated the importance of the role Art took in the development of our initiative repeatedly. We celebrate the great importance of his work and the way he contributed to real change. Not many can, but Art did. We have asked our former Program Director Wim Ellenbroek, who has worked closely with Art and his team for 8 years, to write a tribute which you will find below.

Our condolences go out to his family and his colleagues. Their loss is immense and we shall try our best to support them in any way we can.

On behalf of the board and employees of The Borneo Initiative,

Many people share a concern over tropical forests, but few people have a realistic view on the management and conservation of these forests. Art Klassen's deep understanding of all dimensions of tropical forest management put him in a class of his own. Art was widely recognised as an authority in tropical forest management.

He understood the science of tropical forest management and contributed to numerous articles in scientific papers. He was personally immersed in training and field work, making him a very experienced hands-on forrester. And, besides his scientific knowledge and regional field experience, Art also understood the socio-economic dimensions of tropical forest management.

The boost given to FSC certification in Indonesia by The Borneo Initiative, could never have been possible without the support of Art Klassen and his TFF. Art advised The Borneo Initiative on its strategy and modus operandi. He was the certification coach to the biggest number of forest concessions and facilitated the largest number of FSC certificates in Indonesia.

Professionally very solid and critical, Art was very friendly and loyal at a personal level. He groomed many young staff in his TFF to become the new generation of foresters.

We will ensure that his legacy in Indonesian forest management will live on in our works.

We will never forget him. And also We will pray for him as he prayed for us.

May God give him eternal rest.  With Metta.

Our sincere condolences to the grieving families on the passing of Mr. Art Klassen.

It’s very shocking to hear the sad news of the demise of Art. We learned a lot from him and I really liked him a lot. He will be sincerely missed by us. I hope you all have the strength to cope up with the loss. May his soul rest in peace.

In memory of Arthur W. Klassen, colleague, teacher and friend.

Friday November 1st 2018 the RAFT Partnership and the sustainable forest management community lost a dear colleague, teacher and friend with the passing of Arthur (Art) W. Klassen.

Although struggling with health problems for the better part of the last year, Art, with his characteristically amazing dedication and energy, continued working right up to his final days.

I personally first met Art in 2009 at a RAFT Partners’ Meeting, at which I would continue to see him annually for the next 9 years, among the many e-mail and phone exchanges and various travels related to RAFT’s work.

Art is well-known by most for his deep, hands-on knowledge of Indonesia’s forestry sector and of forestry operations in the tropics more broadly, and his tirelessly pragmatic approach to safeguarding tropical production forests.

Those who had the opportunity to work closely with Art will also recall his keen awareness of the importance of communicating our conservation work, and his own knack for clear, concise and powerful messaging about the work that he strongly believed needed to be done.

Some of the biggest impacts of Art’s extensive experience in improving forest management practices and reducing the impacts of forestry operations on the environment were felt in Indonesia. Art’s legacy can be seen, among other places, in Indonesia’s growing area of certified forest over the last decade.

In recent years, Art had also begun to introduce and adapt methods and tools developed in Indonesia to countries like Myanmar and Papua New Guinea. Even with a relatively short engagement, the practical, clear and relatable nature of Art’s training approach have been received with great appreciation and introduced new ways of thinking about forest management and timber supply chains to key institutions that are already taking hold.

In Indonesia, TNC has been very pleased in recent years to be able to work with Art and TFF to build on the Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) technique so closely associated with TFF and with Art himself, and show how these kinds of practices can help fight climate change.

I have long said that working with and learning from people with different organizational, professional (and philosophical) perspectives is one of my favorite things about my job, and Art is such a fantastic example of that.

When I think about Art today, I am reminded to keep strong the connection between theory and the reality of the myriad details on the ground that influence land management decisions and behavior. I am also reminded to stay hopeful, focused and driven.

Sincerely,

Saya mengenal Art Klassen lebih dari 15 tahun. Art merupakan guru yang baik bukan hanya terkait dengan reduced impact logging dan pengelolaan hutan Lestari, tetapi dia juga selalu berbagi cerita tentang pengalaman hidup beliau yang menginspirasi.

Dia adalah orang yang selalu berfikir positif, dan berfikir ke depan serta tidak  pernah complain terkait persoalan dirinya, sehingga kepergian beliau menjadi hal yang tidak disangka karena sampai dengan kepergiannya, yang saya ketahui adalah Beliau mengalami ganguan kesehatan, tetapi saya tidak mengetahui kalau sakit beliau sudah kritis.

Saya merasa kehilangan guru dan pejuang pengelolaan hutan Lestari di Indonesia. Namun demikian, warisan beliau untuk pengelolaan hutan tropis yang lebih baik akan selalu dikenang.

Pak Art Klassen bagi saya merupakan guru yang konsisten dan kuat memberikan pengaruh dalam pemikiran-pemikiran yang jernih jauh kedepan untuk pengelolaan hutan yang baik, bukan hanya dalam praktek RIL.

Pengalaman saya dalam mendampingi pak Art kalau ke hutan, maka kondisi fisik mesti fit karena akan berjalan jauh masuk hutan dengan kecepatan jalan yang bikin kita terengah-engah walaupun umur jauh lebih muda. Woow luar biasa..!!

Kekuatan pemahaman secara teori dan lapangan ini menjadikan pak Art sangat istimewa...

Selamat jalan pak Art... terima kasih semuanya.

Hari itu akhirnya datang juga. Hari perpisahan dengan seorang atasan, juga sebagai seorang guru dan juga sebagai seorang teman yang TERBAIK. Arthur W Klassen (Muhammad Yusuf) telah pergi untuk selamanya.  Selama 6 (enam) tahun mengenal beliau hingga pertemuan terakhir kami di ruangan kerjanya, kami berbincang empat mata dan suatu kebahagiaan bagi saya dapat menyatakan secara langsung rasa terima kasih saya dan keluarga saya atas kebaikan yang telah beliau berikan selama saya bekerja di TFF. Tidak ada kata-kata yang patut saya ucapkan selain menyatakan langsung kepada beliau.

"Pak Klassen, terima kasih atas kebaikan anda selama ini. Anda adalah pimpinan, guru dan teman terbaik yang pernah saya temui". Dan beliaupun mengucapkan terima kasih kepada saya dengan berlinang air mata. Ya.... saat itu beliau berlinang air mata ...

Having worked with Art for the better part of 20 years, our discussions on various topics were always helpful and insightful to navigate the forest industry.  Professionally, as the head of a partner agency to Climate Forestry, Art was always willing to engage in meaningful discussions and proactively explore the various options to identify the best solution to various issues. Many of his insights came from his extensive experience on the ground to provide unique solutions that were both practical and affordable, thus allowing clients to continue to work towards responsible forest management. Personally, we would speak about various topics, some at depth and some with great enthusiasm, but always with a smile and with genuine thoughtfulness to support.

We will miss you Art. Rest in Peace my friend.

I am so saddened to have lost a friend of almost 50 years.  From our early days as volunteers in Tanzania, through University then onto careers as professional foresters, Art was always a true and knowledgeable friend. Later, the way that he described his adventures and accomplishments in the forests of so many other parts of the world made his visits back to British Columbia, something that I always looked forward to. Towards the end, he knew that he was ill, but he was always positive, optimistic and brave. 

My heart goes out to all members of his family and I am so sorry not to be able to share in any of Art’s retirement dreams.

Pertama kali mengenal Art Klassen ketika bersama-sama menjadi konsultan di CIFOR sekitar tahun 1998 untuk Reduce Impact Logging esearch project Bulungan Model Forest di Kalimantan Timur. Beliau sangat memahami RIL baik secara teknis di atas kertas maupun aplikasinya di lapangan. Seorang forester yg mencintai dan memahami seluk beluk hutan tropis. Banyak pengetahuan praktek pengelolaan hutan tropis yg didapat ketika bersama beliau.

Sebagai seorang 'boss', beliau juga baik dan 'humble'. Sifatnya yang pekerja keras menyebabkannya tidak pernah mengeluh dalam menghadapi masalah apapun termasuk kesehatannya. Ketika dinyatakan 'sakit', beliau masih menyempatkan bekerja. Kepergiannya mengejutkan dan merupakan kehilangan besar tidak hanya bagi kelurganya, keluarga besar TFF tapi juga bagi pengelolaan hutan tropis. Semoga beliau beristirahat dengan tenang.

Saya mulai mengenal Art Klassen pada tahun 90an awal, saya lupa tahun persisnya. Pada saat itu ada kegiatan penelitian limbah di PT. SBK Unit Seruyan Kalteng dalam kegiatan Natural Resources Management (NRM) Project yang didanai oleh USAID. Salah seorang anggota Tim yang terlibat dalam penelitian tersebut adalah Art Klassen.

Setelah selesai melakukan penelitian terkait limbah pembalakan, dilanjutkan dengan penelitian tentang Reduce Impact Logging (RIL) di HPH yang sama.  Beberapa tahun kemudian di tempat yang sama dilakukan pelatihan-pelatihan tentang teknik RIL, hasilnya antara lain dibuatkannya teknik detil pelaksanaan survey pohon dan pembuatan peta kontur secara ground survey dengan peralatan manual. Saat itu Citra satelit dan GPS belum dikenal di Indonesia, khususnya dalam praktek pengelolaan HPH. Berdasarkan pengalaman itulah saya mengenal lebih dekat sosok Art Klassen, beliau seorang forester yang sangat paham lapangan, dan sangat ahli dalam praktek pengelolaan hutan alam, saya masih jauh kalah dibandingkan dengan beliau dari sisi praktek di lapangannya, disamping beliau mempunyai stamina yang sangat bagus selama
bekerja di lapangan.

Keluar masuk hutan dan berjalan kaki puluhan kilometer dalam hutan adalah hal yang biasa bagi beliau. Pada saat Pimpinan TFF Amerika bertemu dengan APHI untuk bekerja sama, mungkin tahun 2000an awal, dan memperkenalkan Art Klassen ke APHI, saya berkomentar saat itu :

"Sepengetahuan saya, selama saya bekerja di HPH sejak tahun 1977, orang asing yang paling paham hutan alam dan menguasai sekali cara mengelola HPH adalah Art Klassen". Saya berpendapat rasanya beliau orang yang paling paham bagaimana praktek pengelolaan hutan alam lestari di lapangannya, khususnya terkait penerapan teknik RIL. Bukan hanya sekedar konsep, tapi praktek juga.

Beliau mempunyai jasa besar bagi dunia kehutanan, terutama dalam pengelolaan hutan alam, khususnya teknik RIL, baik bagi Indonesia maupun bagi Negara-negara tropis lainnya.

Kami merasa sangat kehilangan beliau, seorang putra terbaik dalam pengelolaan hutan alam. Saya juga dapat amanah dari beliau dimana saya diminta untuk menjadi Pembina pada Yayasan Tropical Forest dimana Badan inilah yang menjadi payung kegiatan TFF sejak tahun 2010. Tentu saya akan berupaya sejauh kemampuan saya agar kegiatan TFF tidak berhenti walaupun beliau telah tiada, syukur bila lebih maju, insyaallah.

"Selamat jalan Art, semoga Engkau tenang dan nyaman di alam sana. Kami akan berupaya menjaga amanahmu, insyaallah".

It was a sad occasion when I learned of Art's death through a tribute on Facebook written by his sons. Art was a colleague at the Tropical Forest Foundation, a mentor to me in sustainable forestry, a creative entrepreneur, and a friend. His work was been based in Asia but his legacy is that he changed forestry practices worldwide.

He had a vision of how foresters could reduce their impact on the forest. He was invited to share that vision and detail best practices to many audiences, including multiple appearances before the International Tropical Timber Organization and its committees.

His presentations were always a highlight of the TFF Board of Directors meetings in Washington, DC. The experiences that he cherished most, though were the work that he could do in the forest teaching the workers and managers the skills of reduced impact logging. My sympathies are extended to his family and colleagues at TFF-Indonesia.

Art adalah Rimbawan sejati yang sangat peduli dengan pengelolalan hutan secara lestari. Saya sangat beruntung pernah bekerja sama dengan beliau.  Banyak ilmu yang saya dapat selama bekerja bersama beliau mengenai pengelolaan hutan khususnya Reduced Impact Logging.  Beliau juga merupakan figur orang tua yang baik dan sangat memperhatikan keluarganya. Selain bekerja bersama beliau juga banyak berbagi cerita mengenai bagiamana beliau melakoni hidupnya dari kecil, remaja sampai dengan akhir hayatnya.

Serasa masih tidak percaya beliau berpulang begitu cepat. Kita kehilangan sosok yang sangat berpengaruh dalam perbaikan pengelolaan hutan produksi di Indonesia agar bisa lestari khususnya untuk detail teknis di lapangan.  Selamat jalan Pak Art, semoga Bapak tenang disisinya. Semua ilmu yang Pak Art sudah sebarkan sangat bermanfaat bagi Saya dan pengelolaan hutan produksi alam yang lebih baik di Indonesia.

Saya sangat berterimakasih atas bantuan dan pertolongan pak Art kepada PT BRT dan PT NR dalam usaha memperoleh sertifikat FSC. Pertama, beliau bersedia melakukan preliminary assessment, untuk meninjau kesiapan dua unit usaha tersebut.

Kedua, beliau berpayah-payah menyiapkan dokumen untuk memperoleh dukungan dana dari TBI. Tidak langsung Art Klassen mendekatkan saya dengan TBI.

Pertemuan kami, by accident diawali dengan minat pejabat utama TFF, pak Kiester Evans, untuk beroperasi di Indonesia. Kami bertemu di salah satu sidang dewan ITTO (ITTC) di Yokohama. Saya tidak tahu samasekali tentang TFF, dan Indonesia belum menyentuh kebijakan penerapan SFM FSC.

Dalam pergaulan sehari-hari dengan pak Art, by design issue SFM-FSC tidak pernah muncul, namun akhirnya menuju ke arah sana. Pak Art selalu menekankan can do attitude berkaitan dengan SFM-FSC.

Sebagai kenangan terakhir atas kebaikan pak Klassen, saya didorong untuk ikuti program RIL-C di PT NR, dengan tentangan sangat keras dari area manager Samarinda.

Saya ingin menyimpulkan, bahwa bantuan pak Klassen sangat significant bagi dua unit usaha yang pada waktu itu saya pimpin.  

Art, thank you for everything you did to me, may Allah bless you.

With my sincerest kind regards.

My sincere condolences, thoughts and prayers to Art's family at this time of his passing. Art lived life with passion and purpose, and left this world a better place through all of his work to safeguard our planet's forests. Art leaves a rich legacy in the lives he has touched, and inspires us all live with purpose and passion.

Let's all make sure Art's values live on in how we interact with each other and manage our forests.

I am indeed very sad to hear of passing away of friend, brother and colleague late Mr Art. Klassen we lost an expert and professional in sustainable FOREST Management especially his involvement with Training in PNG including RIL . We miss his kind humour and friendly working on our recent trip to Vanimo and Madang in PNG.

Please pass my sincere and heartfelt condolences to his family and may his rest in eternal peace.

I will pass message to his friends in PNG including Lyall and TFTC.