Over-population and deforestation disturbing

BOGOR, West Java (JP): Over-population and deforestation are challenging the nation's efforts to conserve the archipelago's abundant flora.

"The overpopulation problem on the relatively fertile islands across the country has left little opportunity for the extension of previously rich biodiversity and lush flora," botanist Sediono M.P. Tjondronegoro said during an international seminar here yesterday.

"Many flora areas have been converted into arable land. The nature reserves are undoubtedly under pressure now," he said.

The first day's session of the four-day seminar, jointly organized by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and the Indonesian Forestry Community (MPI), was attended by directors of botanical gardens from Australia, the United States, the People's Republic of China, Japan, the Netherlands and Indonesia.

Sediono said during the initial session yesterday that the Indonesian population has now reached around 187 million.

"It is expected to increase by two percent annually to 250 million in the year 2030.

"The majority of Indonesians are concentrated in Java because most industries and development activities are to be found here," he said.

He said 50,000 hectares of arable land are converted into new urban settlements or covered over with infrastructure yearly in the trend toward urbanization and industrialization.

Sediono said that tens of thousands of hectares of forest have been extensively over-exploited to support economic development, causing deforestation.

"In 1990 the size of the forest area was around 144 million hectares and now it is estimated that only 109 million hectares are left," he said.

Together with Tanzania and Brazil, Indonesia has been classified as having one of the largest tropical rain forest covers in the world. Tropical forests are needed to cushion the planet earth from global warming caused by damage to the ozone layer, he said.

Sediono said natural resources should be exploited in accordance with the sustainable development concept, benefiting both the environment and the people. (rms)