Forest fires cause Rp 132b in losses<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Forest fires have destroyed more than 165,000
\nhectares of forest in the country this year, causing an estimated
\nloss of Rp 132 billion (US$26.4 million), Minister of Forestry
\nDjamaludin Suryohadikusumo said yesterday.<\/p>\n
But Djamaludin said this does not include the immeasurable
\necological damage such as destroyed habitats and forest
\necosystems.<\/p>\n
\"Forest burning also damaged the soil as it killed all the
\nuseful microorganisms which made the land productive,\" he said in
\na news conference on reforestation and land rehabilitation.<\/p>\n
The figure also did not include the financial losses of timber
\nestates and plantation companies.<\/p>\n
This year, fire razed more than 165,000 hectares of forest --
\nmore than 125,000 hectares of industrial and protected forest and
\nmore than 40,000 hectares of brush and land, he said.<\/p>\n
But he declined to estimate how many years it would take the
\nforests to rehabilitate.<\/p>\n
The fires have been concentrated in Central Kalimantan, West
\nKalimantan, Sumatra's Riau and Jambi provinces. Fires have also
\ndestroyed a large area of forest in Irian Jaya and Java.<\/p>\n
Chief of the environmental damage control department of the
\nEnvironmental Management Agency (Bapedal), Yon Artiono, said
\nIndonesia has suffered huge losses in more ways than one due to
\nthe forest fires.<\/p>\n
\"It will take us a very long time and a lot of money to
\nrehabilitate the damaged soil,\" he told a seminar on land and
\nforest fires at Padjadjaran University in Bandung, West Java.<\/p>\n
He said 15 years of reforestation had yet to rehabilitate land
\nthat was badly damaged in forest fires in 1982. At least three
\nmillion hectares of land and forest was destroyed in the fires.<\/p>\n
\"Not only (did the government have to provide) money for
\nreforestation, the fires also disrupted the ecosystem and killed
\nanimals,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Legislation<\/p>\n
Yesterday's seminar concluded that Indonesia needs to review
\nand reform its laws on forestry to effectively deter those who
\nburn forest. Regulations should also be made in accordance to
\ninternational standards, as the impact of the fires, such as the
\nthick haze, also affected other countries.<\/p>\n
Komariah Emong Sapardjaja, a lecturer at the Padjadjaran
\nUniversity, said the 1967 law on forestry did not deter
\nviolators.<\/p>\n
\"The law only stipulates punishment in the form of
\nimprisonment or fines but does not include details on how the
\npunishment should be brought about,\" Komariah was quoted by
\nAntara as saying.<\/p>\n
Another speaker, Komar Kantaatmadja, said the haze caused by
\nforest fires that affected neighboring Malaysia, Singapore,
\nBrunei, the Philippines and Thailand was subject to international
\nlaws.<\/p>\n
Yon Artiono agreed that the existing laws have failed to deter
\nthose who burn forest. However, he expressed hope that the new
\nlaw on environmental management, produced this year, would be
\nmore effective than its predecessor Law No.4\/1982.<\/p>\n
Conservation<\/p>\n
Also yesterday, Minister Djamaludin said the ministry will
\ncommemorate tomorrow the National Reforestation and Nature
\nConservation Day at Karang Joang district in Balikpapan, East
\nKalimantan. Vice President Try Sutrisno will lead the
\ncommemoration.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin said the ceremony is aimed at motivating the
\ncommunity to participate in reforestation activities and nature
\nconservation.<\/p>\n
He said it would also inform the international community about
\nIndonesia's efforts to preserve its natural resources, a follow-
\nup to the declaration of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro,
\nBrazil.<\/p>\n
He said that from 1973 to 1997, Indonesia had reforested 6.192
\nmillion hectares or 86.27 percent of its land in a critical
\nstate.<\/p>\n
Several activities have been planned to mark conservation day,
\nincluding discussions, scout camping and exhibitions.
\n(gis\/09\/43\/swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/forest-fires-cause-rp-132b-in-losses-1447893297",
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