Managing forests

Managing forests

The government's policy to turn private forest concession companies into BUMN state-owned enterprises, putting 49 percent of the shares in the hands of the government, is a positive measure.

Indonesia, whose territory covers 191.93 million hectares, has 143.9 million hectares of forest, which is 75 percent of the total land surface.

The preservation of our virgin forests is obviously a long- term enterprise, since maintaining a sound living environment involves safeguarding both the quantity and the quality of our assets.

During the fourth and fifth development periods it was proven that reforestation funds were used only to replant the visible outer rims of forests. Much of the damage done in central areas was left unrepaired.

The whole scheme must be re-examined to see if private forest concessionaires have managed their areas in accordance with the environmental impact analyses, so our forests and our development efforts can be sustained.

-- Pikiran Rakyat, Bandung