Deforestation rife in Cilacap

Deforestation rife in Cilacap

BANYUMAS, Central Java: More than half of a 126-hectare
conservation forest on the slopes of Selok Mountain in Cilacap
has been destroyed by illegal loggers.

Spokesman for the Banyumas Timur forest authority Sudiman told
The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that illegal loggers had destroyed
more than 70 hectares of the forest.

"They have illegally cut down mahogany and acacia trees. The
looting has inflicted billions of rupiahs of financial losses,
judging from the fact that each hectare has around 400 trees.
Each tree produces an average of 1.2 cubic meters of wood valued
at Rp 1 million," he said.

The Banyumas Timur forest authority controls a total of 46,200
hectares of forest.

Another official at the office, Indiyono, said that the
thieves were local people organized by certain people. He added
the thefts began two years ago following the economic crisis.
(45/sur)