South Kalimantan Forestry Service processes organic waste to support tropical forest rehabilitation

Banjarbaru (ANTARA) - The South Kalimantan Provincial Forestry Service (Dishut Kalsel) is processing organic waste into environmentally friendly compost to support the rehabilitation of tropical rainforests in Banjarbaru, while also strengthening sustainable area management practices in the region.

Head of Dishut Kalsel, Fathimatuzzahra, in Banjarbaru on Wednesday, stated that leaf waste from area clean-ups and organic rubbish from office environments is now being managed optimally through a shredding process using specialised machinery as the initial stage of raw material processing for compost.

She mentioned that the shredded results are then processed using standardised composting methods, taking into account moisture regulation, aeration, and fermentation time to produce mature organic fertiliser ready for use.

“The compost produced will be utilised to support the maintenance of plants in the forest garden area, including aiding forest and land rehabilitation (RHL) activities in various locations,” she said.

In addition to improving plant growth quality, she added, the use of organic compost also plays a role in enhancing soil structure and maintaining a natural balance of nutrients without full dependence on synthetic chemical fertilisers.

Fathimatuzzahra emphasised that this innovation is a strategic step to gradually reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers while maximising the utilisation of organic waste from various sources, such as the Forest Plant Seed Garden (BPTH), Nature Reserve (Tahura), and internal service operations.

She assessed that these efforts can reduce the volume of organic waste that has previously not been optimally utilised, thereby providing added ecological value as well as efficiency in forest area management.

“We are committed to continuously developing sustainable and environmentally friendly environmental management practices in line with efforts to preserve tropical forests and improve ecosystem quality in South Kalimantan,” said Fathimatuzzahra.