Natural forests inadequate

JAKARTA (JP): A scientist warned yesterday that timber logged from Indonesia's natural forests would not be adequate to meet the domestic demand for both the medium and long term period.

M. Ari Soedarsono from the Ministry of Forestry told a seminar on biodiversity yesterday that theoretically, only 0.45 cubic meter of timber could be harvested from one hectare of forest each year.

His calculations are based on a harvestable "production forest" area -- or forests allocated entirely for economic purposes -- of 50 million hectares country-wide and a sustainable yield of 22.5 million cubic meters a year.

He emphasized that Indonesia could no longer rely on natural forests as a source of timber. (pwn)