Illegal logging and looting threaten Lampung's forests

Illegal logging and looting threaten Lampung's forests

By Hera Diani

LAMPUNG (JP): Like other provinces in Sumatra, Lampung is
blessed with lush green forests which spread from the south near
the Sunda Straits to its northern area that abuts Bengkulu.

The weather is especially nice at this time of year as rain
has started to fall, emanating the aroma of wet soil and grass.

Like any other forest in Indonesia, Lampung's woodland hosts a
wide variety of flora and fauna from the most common species to
the very rare.

But this beauty and wonder of nature is slowly dwindling,
giving way to the immediate demands brought about by the crisis
sweeping the nation.

Forests in Sumatra's southernmost province, like other parts
of the country, are threatened by illegal logging, looting and
stealing.

In the efforts to combat these unlawful acts and preserve the
natural habitat, forestry officials here are increasingly facing
opposition and claims by the traditional community living in the
area to their right to exploit the forest.

Whether motivated by simple greed or daily necessities
exhorted by the economic crisis, officials have had to take heed
of these claims at the cost of a dwindling forest.

Lampung is home to an estimated 1.15 million hectares of
forest, of which some 415,000 hectares is allocated to two
national parks -- South Bukit Barisan and Way Kambas -- sprawled
across the province.

"But that total area of forest is data from before Aug. 23,"
warned Sjamsudin Rachmat who heads the provincial office of the
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

"Afterward, there were some changes in the total forest area."

Sjamsudin admitted that the forest had decreased by some two
percent or about 145,000 hectares.

He explained that much of it had been converted either as
state land for non-forestry use or "granted" to the local
community to be exploited for their benefit.

But a source from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
revealed that much of the area had been "forced" into being
granted as the area was occupied by locals.

The local administration wanted to avoid a dispute and
relinquished to the demands of the people there, the source said.

Sjamsudin did not touch on the issue, saying only: "At least
the total area of forest here in Lampung is still larger than the
minimum area required by the Forestry Law, which is 30.34 percent
of the whole mainland".

Claims from the local community are a growing problem in
maintaining a forested area.

Way Kambas National Park is also in danger of losing another
1,200 hectares of forest after the traditional community living
on the outskirts of the park claimed they had a cultural right to
the land.

Negotiations on the claim are ongoing.

The problem has been aggravated further as the laws on the
issue contain certain ambiguities.

Looting is also another major problem.

Officials noted recently that as many as 6,000 hectares of
50,000 hectares of timber estate owned by timber company PT
Inhutani had been looted.

"It was done by the community around the area, and also people
from another province," Sjamsudin said.

The limited ability of forestry officials to protect the area
has also meant increased illegal logging.

In early October, Lampung Forestry Agency confiscated 12
trucks carrying more than 150 cubic meters of timber which was to
be smuggled into Java.

"Fifteen people have been arrested and are being held by the
city police here," said the head of the agency, Nassery Achmad.

Sjamsudin said the province was prone to the illegal activity
due to its strategic location.

"Accessibility is high here because being the southernmost
province (in Sumatra), Lampung acts as a gateway to Java and vice
versa," he said.

He also admitted that forestry related crimes, whether they
were illegal logging, looting or stealing, often involved
officials, forestry employees and police officers.

"But we leave it up to their respective unit or office to
punish them," Sjamsudin said.

Protection

Primary efforts are focusing on "virgin" forests which make up
some 40 to 60 percent of the total forest.

"These forests are fully protected," Sjamsudin said.

Other efforts are focusing on curbing residents from starting
to exploit a forested area so they will not become dependent on
it.

As a measure of diversion, the protected forest is buffered by
plants which residents can use. This is done so people will not
venture further to seek economic gains from the protected area.

Initially, mahogany trees (swietenia) were planted.

"But residents complained because the trees only produce
timber. So, we planted other plants," Sjamsudin said.

Now, other plants which have greater diversity and economic
value like damar (Agathis dammara), durian (Durio zibethinus) and
petai (Parkia speciosa hask) are also planted.

"These are multipurpose species because besides having
economic value, they also function in water preservation," he
added.

For National Parks, the arrangement is based on three zones:
the main zone, buffer zone and special zone.

Any activity is forbidden in the first zone, while in the
second zone, only limited activities, such as education and
research, are allowed.

Special zones are used for tourism activities and traditional
areas in which the trees planted are endemic to the area.

"People can use this land but only for trees originating in
the area," Sjamsudin said.

Security patrols are also conducted in the forests, but
according to Sjamsudin manpower is limited.

"In South Bukit Barisan for example, there are only 60 staff
members working in an area that large," he said.