Bengkulu bans mining in protected forests

Bengkulu bans mining in protected forests

Ainur Sophian, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya, Bengkulu

The Bengkulu provincial administration has suspended indefinitely
unauthorized gold mining in three local protected forest
locations.

"The mining in the protected forest has been halted as we are
afraid it will destroy the ecosystem," Bengkulu provincial
administration spokesman Chairuddin said as quoted by Antara on
Saturday

Besides, the ban would protect miners from the threat of
landslides, he added.

The temporary ban applies in Lebong Tandai in North Bengkulu
regency, and Lebong Sulit and Lebong Donok, both in Rejang Lebong
regency.

Unauthorized mining has been rampant for many years and now
affects the Kerinci Seblat National Park, which is a protected
area.

The mining operations have created several large craters,
endangering miners' safety and the environment.

Under Law No 41/1999 on forestry affairs, open pit mining is
prohibited in protected forests.

However, the law also leaves open the possibility of a change
in the status of protected forests into production forests so as
to allow mining operations to go ahead.

Last year, for example, the House of Representatives allowed
six mining companies to start operations in various protected
forests after converting their status to production forests.

Chairuddin said the Bengkulu administration would still allow
local people to continue mining activities in a number of
locations, including Lebong Simpang, Lebong Tambang, Tambang
Sawah and Ulu Ketenong in Rejang Lebong.

Separately, the destruction taking place in the R. Soeryo
Forest Park, East Java, has reached alarming levels due to both
man-made and natural causes.

Forest fires have destroyed 616 hectares of the park while
land clearing has destroyed another 397 hectares.

The R. Soeryo Forest Park is located in three regencies,
Malang, Pasuruan and Mojokerto, and covers a total area of 27,868
hectares. It is divided into four parts.

The first part is a protected area covering 23,000 hectares,
the second, covering an area of 1,600 hectares, is used as a tree
nursery, the third, covering an area of 2,600 hectares, is an
intensive utilization area, while the fourth, covering 4,800
hectares, is allocated for traditional utilization.

The forest park is also home to eco-tourism resorts such as
Cangar in Mojokerto, Kota Batu, and Mt. Welirang.

Susilo Sugiono, head of the East Java forestry agency, said he
would take the necessary measures to minimize the destruction of
the forest park.

In the short term, he said, his agency would continue to
monitor river flows and check dams. In the long term, his agency
would carry out reforestation in several critical areas, starting
in November or December.

Through reforestation, the forest could regain its double
function as a natural disaster control area and an eco-tourism
attraction, he explained.

Susilo said his office had prioritized the rehabilitation of
the Pacet area after the recent mudslide disaster that killed
dozens of people.