Ara to Mandate Developers Plant Trees, Regulation Under Preparation

Indonesia’s Minister for Housing and Settlement Areas (PKP), Maruarar Sirait, is preparing a new policy that mandates every house to have a tree planted in its front area. This regulation is part of efforts to encourage greening through the housing sector. The plan represents the government’s support for the tree-planting movement initiated by property developers. “If I make a policy, every commercial or subsidised house must have one tree planted in front of it by the developer,” said Minister PKP Maruarar Sirait in South Lampung, quoted on Friday (8/5/2026). Maruarar stated that the government is currently drafting regulations that will require developers to plant one to two trees for each housing unit, whether commercial or subsidised. When asked about possible sanctions for developers who do not implement the policy, Ara prioritised enforcement over punishment. “No need for sanctions, but it must be implemented,” she continued. She then exemplified that if the policy were applied to the subsidised housing programme alone, the impact could be significant for adding green spaces. “If calculated from the subsidised houses with an annual quota of 350,000 units, if one tree is planted per house, that would be 350,000 trees,” said Ara, quoted from Antara. Maruarar views the property sector as having a strategic role in supporting the national greening agenda. By mandating tree planting for every house, housing development would not only focus on providing shelter but also contribute to environmental quality. This policy is still in the discussion stage within the Ministry of PKP. It will then be further formulated to be effectively implemented by housing developers across Indonesia.