Govt claims illegal logging lower

JAKARTA: The government claimed on Wednesday that illegal logging activities in the country's conservation areas had declined in 2002.

Widodo S. Ramono, Director of Natural Conservation Areas at the Ministry of Forestry said three national parks, Tanjung Puting in Kalimantan, Siberut and Kerinci Seblat in Sumatra, were good examples of the decline in illegal logging activities.

He said in Tanjung Puting National Park, illegal loggers had not rebuilt bridges that had been destroyed by the local government. Railway tracks passing through the area had also been destroyed to stop illegal logging, he added.

"They can only use the river, but we rarely discover them shipping illegal logs along the river now compared with the past," Widodo said.

He added that two forest concession holders operating near Kerinci Seblat National Park had even returned their rights to the government, allowing the areas to be part of the national park due their rich biodiversity. --JP