A logical solution to forest fires

A logical solution to forest fires

From Media Indonesia

During the past few months, Minister for the Environment
Sarwono Kusumaatmadja has been busy trying to solve the problems
of forest fires and the resulting thick smog covering parts of
Kalimantan and Sumatra.

The smog has spread to other areas in the region and some
neighboring countries have deemed it necessary to send help to
Indonesia to quell the fires.

Apart from disrupting flight schedules and land traffic, the
smog is also affecting people's health and respiratory systems.

Some regional administrations have recommended the use of
masks. In Banjarmasin, an elementary student had to be
hospitalized for inhaling smog-polluted air.

I was once a subcontractor with a private company which worked
in estates in South Kalimantan. The land had already been cleared
by a forestry concession holder but some felled trees, with
diameters of between 20 and 40 centimeters, remained.

We wanted to make shelves and beams from the leftover wood but
it was prohibited by the forestry ministry, military district
commander and police. There was a sanction for violations.
Eventually the wood was burned on the land.

I thought the logic to be strange. We were not allowed to
benefit from the leftover wood but burning was acceptable. Yet
burning is one of the causes of forest fires and thick smoke.

I think it would be preferable to make use of the leftover
wood from felled trees and wood waste. Management of the wood
could be given to small companies.

Why should the wood be burned?

Just imagine if millions of pieces of waste wood (resulting
from millions of hectares of forest) were given to small
companies for further processing.

The companies would be helped, the cause of fires would be
minimized and there would be no smog.

This can be achieved provided there are good intentions on all
sides and the prevailing regulations are applied with some
flexibility.

MELANTHON SIAGIAN

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan