Illegal logging threatens more forests in Central Sulawesi

Irvan NR , Palu, Central Sulawesi

Illegal logging has grown increasingly rampant in the Morowali Conservation Park and Banggai forest in Central Sulawesi province over the last few years, raising concerns that forested areas will soon become nothing but barren land.

In the Morowali Conservation Park, for example, the forests have been the target of the illegal loggers, as some very rare and valuable trees grow in the area, including Meranti and Palapi, which are used in ship-building, said Tanwir Lamaming, the director of the Friends of Morowali Foundation (YSM).

"Those highly valued logs can be sold for Rp 500,000 (US$56) per cubic meter," he said.

Recently, the illegal logging has increased markedly in the 219,000-hectare nature park, which is located in Morowali regency, some 450 kilometers south of Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi.

A few years ago, the illegal loggers cut down trees on the outer fringes of the protected forest, but now they unabashedly cut down trees deep in the forest, he said.

"If this unrestrained denuding of the forest is not halted immediately, I am afraid that the natural preserve's ecosystem will be damaged irreparably within just the two years and environmental catastrophe will follow," he said.

He said he knew of at least eight groups of illegal loggers equipped with chainsaws that operated each day in the natural preserve.

The illegal loggers often camp in the forest for certain periods of time and return home after their "targets" are met. Indigenous residents in the area are unable to stop the illegal logging due to fears that they might become the victims of the powerful people backing the illegal loggers, he revealed without elaborating.

Separately, illegal logging has also been a cause for concern in the neighboring Banggai area, some 300 kilometers east of Morowali.

Illegal logging has been going on continuously over the last few years in the forest in Masama district, Banggai regency. It has lead to an alarmingly rapid rate of deforestation in the 30,000-hectare forest.

Head of Banggai Forestry Office, Mustadir Malia, confirmed that illegal logging was rampant in the forest area.

"We can't stop it alone, because my employees can't cover the whole forest. Local residents have to help us to overcome illegal logging," he explained.