APHI and New Forests Explore Cooperation in Sustainable Forest Management
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Forest Entrepreneurs Association (APHI) and New Forests are exploring various cooperation opportunities to support sustainable forest management and sustainable natural resource-based economic development in Indonesia.
This was discussed during a meeting between APHI and the former US Ambassador to Indonesia, Robert O. Blake Jr, alongside representatives from New Forests, a global natural capital investment firm that manages funds for forest sustainability, timber plantations, and carbon projects.
The General Chair of APHI, Soewarso, stated in Jakarta on Saturday that Indonesia’s forestry sector plays a strategic role in supporting national economic growth while maintaining environmental sustainability. Consequently, APHI continues to encourage the strengthening of partnerships with various stakeholders, both nationally and internationally.
“In principle, APHI is open to various forms of investment cooperation that can strengthen sustainable forest management, increase area productivity, encourage ecosystem restoration, and provide broader benefits to communities living around forests,” he said.
Regarding this matter, Soewlarso noted that financing innovation is a key factor in driving investment for sustainable forestry development and supporting national greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets.
Meanwhile, Robert Blake expressed appreciation for the development of Indonesia’s forestry sector, which continues to demonstrate a commitment to sustainable natural resource management. “Indonesia possesses immense potential in developing nature-based solutions and sustainable forest management, which attracts the attention of global investors,” he said.
According to him, there are many opportunities to strengthen partnerships between businesses, investors, the government, and the community to support development that provides economic benefits while preserving the environment. Constructive dialogue between stakeholders, he continued, is a vital factor in building trust and creating investment opportunities and cooperation that can support sustainable development goals in Indonesia.
Furthermore, the Director of Investments (Asia) for New Forests, Sanjiv Louis, assessed that Indonesia has great potential to continue strengthening sustainable forest and landscape management through collaboration between the government, private sector, financial institutions, and the community. He noted that natural resource management capable of balancing economic, social, and environmental aspects will be a crucial factor in supporting green economic growth and future climate resilience.
“We see that Indonesia has significant opportunities to develop various sustainable forest management and land-use initiatives,” he said. Strong collaboration between businesses, the government, and development partners, he added, can support increased landscape productivity, the protection of environmental values, and the creation of long-term benefits for society.
He noted that the dialogue with APHI is an important step for exchanging information and exploring various cooperation opportunities that can support sustainable forest management and sustainable natural resource-based economic development in Indonesia.
The results of the discussion between APHI and New Forests concluded that communication and information exchange must continue to be strengthened to identify various collaboration opportunities. These opportunities aim to support investment in sustainable forest management, ecosystem restoration, increasing the economic value of the forestry sector, and contributing to the global sustainable development and climate action agenda.