Forest damage covers 45 million ha

Forest damage covers 45 million ha

KUPANG, West Nusa Tenggara: About 43 million hectares of forests in Indonesia have been destroyed, and the destruction continues at the pace of 1.6 million hectares annually.

According to the chief of the forestry ministry's research and development agency in Kupang, Hari Pasaribu, the damage is due to widespread illegal logging by local communities and timber companies.

He said that to prevent further forest destruction, the government had issued a regulation on the management of forests in the country as part of the global need to conserve the environment.

"This regulation will serve as a guideline for future forest development with the main targets of eliminating illegal logging, controlling forest fires, rehabilitating and conserving forest resources, restructuring the forestry sector and strengthening forestry decentralization," explained Pasaribu.--Antara