Ruling on forest utilization to be reviewed: Official<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government said on Tuesday it would review
\nthe five-month-old regulation on forest utilization because the
\nmaximum acreage set for timber companies does not encourage them
\nto adopt sustainable practices.<\/p>\n
Director General of the Utilization of Production Forest
\nWaskito Suryodibroto said the maximum acreage for companies under
\nGovernment Regulation No. 6\/1999 appeared infeasible for
\nsupporting sustainable forest management.<\/p>\n
\"After a long study, we concluded that the regulation does not
\nencourage timber companies to manage their areas in a sustainable
\nmanner, and therefore should be revised,\" he said in a forestry
\ndiscussion.<\/p>\n
Under the regulation issued in February, a concessionaire can
\nmanage a maximum of 100,000 hectares of forest in a province. A
\nconcessionaire is allowed to hold concessions in different
\nprovinces, but their combined size cannot exceed 400,000
\nhectares.<\/p>\n
Plantation companies, except for sugarcane, are not allowed to
\nmanage more than 100,000 hectares of land, with a maximum of
\n20,000 hectares in one province.<\/p>\n
PT Alas Kusuma's director for forest management Nana Suparna
\nsaid the severe restrictions threatened the commercial viability
\nof timber companies.<\/p>\n
Nana said the small acreage did not provide economies of scale
\nfor sustainable forest management, which is a prerequisite to
\nobtain ecolabeling certification.<\/p>\n
Ecolabeling certification will be required for producers of
\ntropical timber to gain access to international markets beginning
\nin 2000.<\/p>\n
\"Managing smaller concessions in a sustainable manner is much
\ncostlier, given the big investment and technology needed to
\nmanage the forest.\"<\/p>\n
Nana added that the limits on the forest concession area would
\nalso affect the wood-processing industry.<\/p>\n
Wood-processing plants would face severe shortages of input if
\nthe maximum acreage limits were imposed because wood mills were
\ndesigned to be supplied by larger forest areas, he added.<\/p>\n
Nana suggested that the government set maximum limits on each
\narea's yield potential since they differed significantly among
\nforests.<\/p>\n
An official of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Suyono
\nSuwarno, admitted the maximum limit was formulated without
\neconomic considerations.<\/p>\n
\"It seemed the limit of 400,000 hectares was set out of the
\nblue,\" he said. (gis)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ruling-on-forest-utilization-to-be-reviewed-official-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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