Selective-cutting ruse in RI forest managemnet<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The majority of forest concessionaires do not
\npractice sound selective-cutting methods, but do the bare minimum
\nas a ruse to be allowed to continue operating, Minister of
\nForestry Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo says.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin said yesterday that most forest concessionaires'
\nreports to the government contain superficial claims of having
\nconducted environmentally-sound forest management practices.<\/p>\n
\"After making site checks, we often find that their reports
\n(on the implementation of) mandatory social and environmental
\nprograms are just a ruse... They don't really conduct the
\nprograms seriously,\" he said after opening a workshop on regional
\nmanagement plans for the establishment of Forest Management Units
\n(KPHP).<\/p>\n
The KPHPs are forest units that can produce optimum harvests
\nwhen cutting is conducted in an environmentally-friendly manner.<\/p>\n
Forest concessionaires currently operating are expected to
\ncomply with the new design.<\/p>\n
The government aims to establish 195 KPHPs in at least 10
\nprovinces by the end of the Sixth Five-Year Development Plan in
\n1999.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin said the mandatory programs -- which have been
\ndesigned to guarantee that forests and local people are not hurt
\nby the forestry operations -- include social forestry projects
\nand selective cutting methods.<\/p>\n
He said professional assessors will soon appraise all
\nconcessionaires to determine if they meet ecolabeling
\nrequirements.<\/p>\n
\"These assessors will give us true reports on whether or not
\nthe concessionaires are conducting sound cutting practices,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Ecolabeling will become a prerequisite in the next century for
\ntropical timber producers to gain access to markets in certain
\nconsumer countries.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin said earlier this year that an assessment of 61
\nconcessionaires included in a pilot project concluded that only
\nnine were \"adequately prepared\" to meet ecolabeling requirements.
\nNone were actually \"prepared\".<\/p>\n
The government decided not to give logging permits to 68 of
\nthe 188 concessionaires that submitted their 1996\/1997 logging
\nplans.<\/p>\n
The rejection was based on the failure of the concessionaires,
\nto meet the basic requirements needed to be allowed to harvest at
\ntheir full capacities.<\/p>\n
These requirements include developing social forestry programs
\nand timber estates in cooperation with transmigrants, paying all
\nofficial levies and fees, and planting certain crops.<\/p>\n
Growth<\/p>\n
Djamaludin admitted Indonesia has no method to measure the
\ngrowth of the standing crop in natural forests. Only the growth
\nin timber estates is measured.<\/p>\n
He said a data-recording method for natural forests will be
\ndesigned soon to ensure concessionaires fell only new trees and
\nnot to the parent tree.<\/p>\n
\"A monitoring system will be made to ensure that the remains
\nof selective cutting can continue to grow,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin pointed out that the cost of selective cutting is
\nfar below that of clear-cutting and, in turn, replanting.<\/p>\n
The development of a timber estate, he said, costs US$1,000 to
\n$1,200 per hectare, but selective cutting costs only $200 to $300
\nper hectare for the same quality of timber and is better for the
\nenvironment.<\/p>\n
\"Timber estates must start from zero, after people conduct
\nslash and burn practices, but selective cutting just takes what
\nis produced by parent trees,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The government has been handing out forest concessions to
\nprivate sector businesses since the 1970s, allowing them to
\nmanage 30 million hectares of forest designated for production.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin said that forest concessionaires which started
\noperating 20 years ago have not conducted selective cutting,
\nresulting in barren, logged-over areas which must be replanted to
\nmaintain environmental sustainability.<\/p>\n
The government claims there is presently 144 million hectares
\nof forest. Of this, 30 million hectares (21 percent) are
\ndesignated as protected forests (for water and soil protection);
\n19 million hectares (13 percent) as nature reserves and national
\nparks (for nature preservation and genetic conservation); 31
\nmillion hectares (22 percent) as limited production forests; 33
\nmillion hectares (23 percent) as regular production forests; and
\n30 million hectares (21 percent) as convertible forests.<\/p>\n
Protected forests, nature reserves and national parks are off-
\nlimits to logging. (pwn)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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