Firm to regreen Bontang with 7,000 trees

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: A Dutch chemical and drug company has launched a drive to regreen Bontang city in East Kalimantan by planting around 7,000 trees.

The move, called the "Dream Action" program, is part of PT DSM Kaltim Melamine's activities to mark its 100th anniversary, company executive director Jan Dopper said on Thursday.

He said the trees will be planted across seven hectares of land in Bontang.

"The celebration is the right moment to launch the action as a contribution to people in our operational area," he said, adding that DSM's headquarters have provided 45,000 Euros (about Rp 445 million) to build city parks there.

Dopper hopes the urban forest development will reduce the impact of environmental damage to the city, including landslides, floods, erosion and the exhaustion of underground water reserves.

PT DSM Kaltim Melamine produces melamine, a compound for wood adhesives, cooking and electrical appliances, paint and resin, with a capacity of 50,000 tons for consumption in Indonesia and other Asian countries.

Bontang Mayor Sofyan Hasdam responded positively to the firm's program, saying that forest areas in Bontang have been shrinking.

He hopes that other companies will follow in the footsteps of PT DSM.

Data from the Ministry of Forestry has indicated that forest destruction in Indonesia affects around two to 2.5 million hectares per year, with Kalimantan ranking third after Sumatra and Sulawesi. --Antara