Sumatra's forest in a critical state<\/p>\n
Jon Afrizal, Jambi<\/p>\n
\"Protected\" forests in the country are increasingly at risk from
\nillegal logging and one, the Bukit Duabelas National Park in
\nSumatra, is now in a critical conditional, environmental data
\nsays.<\/p>\n
The wood from Jambi and Riau goes into luxurious houses and to
\nmanufacture furniture. While Meranti Jambi and Tembesu species
\ngrow only in the Bukit Duabelas and Kerinci Seblat national
\nparks, the wood is easily found in timber shops in Jakarta,
\nSemarang and Surabaya.<\/p>\n
This precious wood is also traded in Singapore, Malaysia,
\nJapan and Taiwan.<\/p>\n
As an result, the Bukit Duabelas National Park has been left
\nin a critical condition, with forestry office data showing 60
\npercent of the trees in the park are already decimated.<\/p>\n
It is estimated several species of trees in the 60,500-hectare
\npark will be extinct in three to four years unless the illegal
\nlogging is halted.<\/p>\n
Local forestry office information details illegal logging
\noccurring since the 1970s, a sad chronicle of dozens of timber
\ncompanies systematically employing locals to loot the park.<\/p>\n
An inadequate number of security staff and the park's large
\nsize are the office's classic excuses as to why the illegal
\nlogging has not been stopped. However, many media reports have
\nindicated the involvement of corrupt park staff and police in
\nillegal logging operations is the main reason why logging in
\nIndonesia goes on unabated.<\/p>\n
About 70 percent of the park is located in the Batanghari
\nregency, 20 percent in Sorolangun and 10 percent in Tebo.<\/p>\n
The logging of quality wood such as meranti, jeluntung,
\nkedundung, kulim and tembesu has also \"washed away\" many rare
\nvarieties of flora and fauna and destroyed the habitats of
\nprotected species such as elephants (Elephas maximus) and the
\nSumatran tiger (sumatrean panthera tigris).<\/p>\n
The nation's potential biological resources are also under
\nthreat. Scientific institutions in Jambi have identified as many
\nas 137 plant varieties that could be used as raw materials for
\ndrugs -- species that are being depleted as the deforestation
\ncontinues.<\/p>\n
A particular loss to the medical world would be pasak bumi
\n(eurycomafisa longifolia) that scientists say has the potential
\nto cure malaria and impotency, the bowl mushroom (cookenia sp),
\nlocally used for birth control, and yellow root (arcangelisiu
\nflava), which is used to ease high fevers.<\/p>\n
The rampant logging is also a serious threat to the existence
\nof the park's traditional hunter-gatherer tribe -- the Orang
\nRimba (also known as the Orang Kubu or Anak Dalam). According to
\na recent survey, the tribe's population has dropped to about
\n1,300 people from around 4,000 in the 1980s.<\/p>\n
The tribe used to live off the forest's plants and animals
\nwithout damaging the ecosystem. However, many timber companies
\nare now recruiting its members to help in illegal logging,
\ntrading daily commodities such as cigarettes, cakes and clothing
\nin return for timber.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sumatras-forest-in-a-critical-state-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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