Lumber firms need strong commitment to sustainability

Lumber firms need strong commitment to sustainability

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Forestry Djamaloedin
Soeryohadikoesoemo said yesterday that the timber firms of the
future will have a strong commitment to sustainability, high
sensitivity to global and environmental changes, strong attention
to cultural issues and broad horizons.

Djamaloedin told participants at a seminar entitled "The
Portrait of Indonesian's Tropical Forests in the 21st Century,"
that the ministry is committed to sustainable harvesting.

"This policy will be implemented consistently for the sake of
Indonesia's future," he said, adding that the ministry has
started to take measures against concessionaires which have
violated their agreements with the government.

Another speaker at the seminar, former state minister of
environment Emil Salim, stressed that Indonesia will preserve its
rain forest for the sake of the Indonesian people.

"They (Western countries) were stupid because they failed to
preserve their forests. Why should we also be stupid?" he said,
in a response to a participant who criticized Western countries
for pressuring Indonesia to reduce logging in an attempt to make
Indonesian timber less competitive.

Other speakers at the seminar included State Minister of
National Development Planning Ginanjar Kartasasmita, timber
tycoon Muhammad (Bob) Hasan, Amha Bin Buang of the Malaysia-based
International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), President of
the Netherlands Timber Trade Association Klaas W. Kuperus,
Director General of the Center for International Forestry
Research Jeffrey Sayer and Chairman of the Swiss-based Forest
Stewardship Council Christopher Elliot.

The seminar was organized to commemorate the 25th anniversary
of PT International Timber Corporation Indonesia (ITCI), whose
shareholders are Yayasan Kartika Eka Pakci, an ABRI-owned
foundation, PT Bimantara Citra and the Nusamba Group.

Support

All speakers stressed the importance of support from all
quarters for sustainable development programs.

Hasan said that the international community has been
unfortunately misled about Indonesia's reforestation program.

"These aspects are not always deliberate or dishonest, but
they do persist in our global dialogue and they need to be
explained," Hasan said, adding that more dialogue is needed to
inform foreign countries and non-governmental organizations about
the success of reforestation programs here.

He stressed that the selective cutting program, which
prohibits timber firms from cutting trees with a diameter of less
than 50 centimeters, and a requirement that trees can not be cut
until after they are 35 years old have ensured sustainable forest
management in Indonesia.

Emil, however, noted that the criteria for sustainability and
the concept of eco-labeling should be clearly defined.

"Different countries have different kinds of forests and each
of them should adopt its own criteria on sustainability," Emil
said.

He added that timber firms cannot look down on the eco-
labeling program on the grounds that consumers will be the ones
to judge the sustainability of a timber firm.

"If customers in Western countries, who care for our rain
forests, disbelieve in our sustainable reforestation, we will be
finished," he added.

According to Emil, Indonesian timber firms usually lose the
sympathy of the international community because they fail to show
the world that a bottom-up approach to preserve forests has been
maintained here.

Some of the around 500 participants of the seminar, who came
from various countries, aired their concerns on whether Indonesia
will still have its vast and important rain forests in 2020, as
the enforcement of laws to protect the forests is very poor.(09)