Illegal logging threatens more forests in Central Sulawesi
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.