West Kalimantan to become desert in 2037: Research<\/p>\n
Bambang Bider, The Jakarta Post, Pontianak<\/p>\n
West Kalimantan, once known as part of the world's lungs for its
\ntropical forests, will turn into a vast barren in 2037 due to
\nforest fires and rampant illegal logging, according to research
\nby the University of Tanjungpura in Pontianak.<\/p>\n
Over the last two years, the university's research team
\ncollected data that shows the province has lost an average of
\n165,631 hectares (ha) of forest annually and, under such a
\ncondition, the province's remaining 6.3 million hectares of
\nforest will likely vanish within the next 35 years.<\/p>\n
\"The main problems are the rampant illegal logging, by both
\nlocals and holders of forest concessions, and the forest fires
\nduring the annual dry season,\" researcher Gusti Hardiansyah said
\nin a seminar to reveal their research results here recently.<\/p>\n
According to data at the local forestry office, from 1977 to
\n1985, the province lost 22 percent of its forest area, from 8.7
\nmillion ha to 6.7 million ha.<\/p>\n
Hardiansyah further said that his team, comprised of
\nenvironmental experts and activists, found that many forest
\nconcession holders were supplying illegal logs to middlemen for
\nexport to Singapore, Malaysia, China, Japan and Taiwan.<\/p>\n
Eighty percent of illegal logs are exported while the
\nremaining 20 percent are supplied to the local market. The market
\ncondition has contributed to the illegal logging.<\/p>\n
\"The rampant illegal logging has a lot to do with the high
\nunemployment rate in the province. Many jobless people and
\nworkers who have been laid off won't to seek jobs in the formal
\nor informal sectors because they have found illegal logging to be
\nthe easiest way to make money,\" said Hardiansyah.<\/p>\n
He said that according to field investigations, the province
\nproduces around 864,000 cubic meters of illegal logs and timber
\nannually, of which the majority are exported to Malaysia.<\/p>\n
\"The illegal logs are smuggled through Entikong in Sanggau
\nregency, Badau in Kapuas Hulu regency and Jagoi Babang in
\nBengkayang regency.<\/p>\n
\"About half of the hotel occupants in Ketapang are usually
\ntimber businessmen from Malaysia, who come here to purchase
\nillegal logs and timber,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Yusti, a 22-year-old graduate of an agricultural institute in
\nthe city, said he has gone to the forest, instead of to farms or
\ngovernment offices, to make money because it has been very
\ndifficult to find a job.<\/p>\n
\"Working at a rubber plantation is very easy, but the payment
\nis very low and with the current monthly minimum wage, I can't
\nmeet my daily needs,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Yusti acknowledged that the kinds of wood available in the
\nprovince were those with high economic value, for example, belian
\n(eusideroxylon zwageri), meranti (dipterocarpa) and bedaru
\n(cantleya corniculata)<\/p>\n
He said the illegal logs were supplied through middlemen to
\nthe sawmills operating illegally in forest areas in the province.<\/p>\n
So far, there are 433,250 sawmills in the province and most of
\nthem have operated without any official permission or
\ndocumentation from relevant authorities.<\/p>\n
Sr. Comr. Wayan T. Budhijaja, chief of the special operation
\ncenter at the provincial police, said it was very difficult to
\nstop the illegal logging because of the government's lack of
\npolitical will to do so.<\/p>\n
The illegal logging could be stopped only if relevant
\nauthorities, including the police and the military, were not
\ninvolved in the scam and those supplying illegal logs and timber
\nwere punished severely, he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/west-kalimantan-to-become-desert-in-2037-research-1447893297",
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