ITTO aid for RI forests

ITTO aid for RI forests

JAKARTA (JP): The International Tropical Timber Organization
(ITTO) yesterday agreed to provide Rp 2.5 billion (US$1.15
million) in grant to the Indonesian government to support the
conservation of Bentuang Karimun forests in West Kalimantan.

B.C.Y. Freezailah, the executive director of ITTO, signed the
grant agreement with Director General of Forest Conservation
Soedjadi Hartono in a ceremony here, which was attended by
Minister of Forestry Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo.

Freezailah said that ITTO helps finance the socio-economic and
biodiversity research to preserve the 800,000 hectares of forests
in Bentuang Karimun, whose location is close to the Lanjak
Entimau conservation of Sarawak, Malaysia.

He said that Indonesia and Malaysia will jointly conduct the
research to help increase the social welfare of indigenous people
around the forests.

The project is aimed to improve the forest management system
which is not only stressed on species and ecosystem conservation
but also the interests of local people.

The two countries will sign an agreement in October to manage
the natural forest resources and develop eco-tourism in Bentuang
Karimun. (yns/09)