Mangrove trees planted in Angke

JAKARTA: Minister of Forestry M.S. Kaban urged every city in the country, including Jakarta, to develop their city forests and make the forests an integral part of their respective city master plans.

"The city administrations can use their land (for developing the city forests), or use land belonging to private parties since the government will surely compensate the landowners," Kaban said at the launching of the national reforestation program (KMDM) at the Angke mangrove forest in North Jakarta.

During the event, the minister also planted mangrove trees in the area.

Government Regulation No. 63/2002 on city forests stipulates that every city must dedicate 10 percent of its land for forests.

According to some estimates, only 6 percent of Jakarta, which covers an area of 65,680 hectares, is forest. --JP