Definition of 'degraded', 'sustainable' forest needed

Definition of 'degraded', 'sustainable' forest needed

Jim Jarvie, Ecologist, Jakarta

The Secretary General of the Indonesian Pulp and Paper
Association recently had a letter published in The Jakarta Post
(July 11) attempting to correct a previous article on the
Indonesian logging ban.

It used two terms, "sustainable forest" and "degraded forest",
which badly need clarification. Their definitions have serious
ramifications for management of remaining forests in Sumatra and
their continued exploitation by the pulp and paper industry.

On the short term they affect how mill production targets are
set and how the natural resource assets exploited are valued in
the mess of billions of dollars in corporate debt among companies
like APP and APRIL and their creditors. In the mid to long term
they affect the chances of Sumatran forests surviving against a
backdrop of expected extinction by 2005 in the lowlands if
destruction remains unchecked.

The pulp and paper industry in Indonesia frequently talks
about its "sustainable forest" estates. This definition refers to
plantations or in other words, tree farms. Whereas a natural
forest in Sumatra can contain more than 450 tree species a
hectare, and thousands more of herbs, animals, insects and more,
pulp tree farms are intensively planted with less than five
species, most often from Acacia or Eucalyptus.

What is more, these species are not native to Sumatra or its
ecoregion, despite claims by some in the industry that some
plantation species should be seen as native because they are
found in dry areas of Eastern Indonesia. The truth of the matter
is that the political boundary of Indonesia has little to do with
biological reality.

A natural forest is a complex ecosystem that has evolved over
millennia. Communities in and around these forests have co-
evolved in past centuries, benefiting directly from forest
products providing food and shelter, and indirectly from
provision of water and retention of soils.

In contrast, plantations are man-made and new, almost sterile
environments supporting little wildlife and providing few
services. From a biodiversity prospective, they are virtual
deserts. From community perspectives, where plantations do work
they can be poor substitutes for the benefits of natural forest.

Economically their pay off is poor when compared to other tree
crops, including oil palm. When plantations do not work properly
the impacts are bared land, polluted water, fires and haze. These
effects are happening now and affect not just communities, but
also those at a distance including in other countries.

So, the term "sustainable forest" should not be applied to
pulp and paper plantations. Call them plantations or farms. In
the Sumatran context they have nothing to do with the diminishing
lush forests facing extinction in the lowlands.

This leads to the second term, "degraded forest". Some in the
pulp and paper industry would have the public believe degraded
forest is cleared and planted with tree farms to the benefit of
all. But what is a degraded forest?

A certified, sustainably managed production forest is a
natural forest that under current management conditions will
survive in perpetuity. It is used to extract timber, equitably
distribute benefits and not disturb natural processes unduly. So,
a logged area need not be seen as degraded.

Much forest in Indonesia has been badly logged, yet numerous
studies indicate that if left alone much can recover. These
forests are, or were, degraded, yet are in the process of
returning to their natural state. Yet more forest has been
affected by humankind to a lesser extent. All such forests are
not pristine, yet whereas might be interpreted as degraded to
some extent, they are certainly not without hope.

It is these sorts of forests that are classified as degraded
by elements of the pulp and paper industry and being cleared
right now for their fiber, and exported to domestic and
international markets. Perfectly good natural forest is being
cleared in the name of removing "degraded forest", which is in
turn being planted by sterile tree farms called "sustainable
forest".

There is no rationale for clearing these sorts of forests;
they are close, or can return to, their original state. Given how
little forest remains in Sumatra given its former glory, there is
no justifiable reason to clear it. To do so may even be illegal;
the government of Indonesia has committed to the Consultative
Group on Indonesia not to clear natural forest.

This said, an effective and ethical pulp and paper industry
can and should contribute to Indonesia's economy and recovery.
Any satellite image, flight or drive through Sumatra shows huge
amounts of barren scrubland that could be converted to fiber
bearing tree farms that would have economic benefit and reduce
risks of fire and other environmental catastrophe.

What is needed is the political will to drop current capacity
in the pulp and paper industry to levels that can be supplied by
fiber from current tree farms, truly degraded forest and scrub
that has no hope of recovery.

The definitions for "degraded" here need transparent and
public discussion. Those running the industry, their business and
finance partners must take full responsibility for the lands they
manage and the damage they cause. Ethical business will be
rewarded with happy buyers, poor business with more frequent and
damaging boycotts. Business will be judged in part by the level
of transparency provided, and clear, unambiguous definitions of
that being talked about.