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