Residents cutting down forest for firewood

Residents cutting down forest for firewood

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post/Bogor

As demand for firewood increases following the 200 percent price
hike on kerosene, hundreds of low-income people living in the
vicinity of the Gunung Walat research forest in Cicantayan -- an
hour south of Bogor -- have begun cutting down trees for firewood
to cook with or sell.

The research forest director Supriyanto said that although the
forest is protected, indigenous people can take some of the
forest products for their own needs.

"Usually just a few people enter the forest to take the dry
branches as firewood a few times a week. Now, dozens of people
come everyday and they even take seedlings," he told The Jakarta
Post on Friday.

"They usually leave the newly felled trees to dry and come
back one week later. If the forest patrol finds the trees before
they come back, we'll chop the wood into small pieces and spread
it around back in the forest," Supriyanto added.

According to the residents, they need firewood for cooking,
but some abused the forest for profit.

"We can sell a bundle of the firewood Rp 10,000 (some US$1) to
the markets in Cicantayan or the neighboring Cibadak district,"
one of them said.

Supriyanto said that possibility of a forest fire was also
likely because the poachers often cook food, while in the forest.

"We are worried ... all we can do now is to keep telling the
residents not to cut the trees and leave the seedlings," he
added.