Indonesia: WWF Says Logging Highway On Sumatra Island Threatens Indonesian Wildlife, Indigenous People

Indonesia: WWF Says Logging Highway On Sumatra Island Threatens Indonesian Wildlife, Indigenous People

2008-01-09 10:16

JAKARTA, INDONESIA: Asia Pulp & Paper and its partners are building a massive logging highway that will divide one of Indonesia's most important forests, threatening indigenous populations and endangering elephants, tigers and orangutans, an environmental group charged Tuesday (8 Jan).

The WWF also questioned the legality of the road-building project on Sumatra island, saying the paper company has already cleared an estimated 20,000 hectares of natural forest in the Bukit Tigapuluh Forest Landscape to provide logging trucks easy access to their mills in Jambi province.

Singapore-based APP, a major paper company, said it had a license for building the access road from relevant authorities.

The WWF said in an investigative report released Tuesday that land-clearing in the vast forest tract _ which contains some of the richest biodiversity in the world _ began after APP's forestry operations in neighboring Riau province were halted due to a police investigation of illegal logging.

Some of APP-affiliated companies were now converting natural forests in Jambi without proper professional assessments and in some cases without proper licenses, the environmental group charged, accusing them of threatening two indigenous tribes and Sumatran tigers, orangutans and elephants living in the area.

"With its high conservation values, the Bukit Tigapuluh Landscape should be protected and thus all natural forest clearance in the area has to be stopped," said Ian Kosasih, WWF-Indonesia's Forest Program Director.

"APP is one of the world's largest paper companies and we believe its global customers expect it to act like a responsible corporate citizen."

APP said its fiber suppliers were discussing possible conservation efforts in Jambi province with the local government, including a proposal to expand Bukit Tigapuluh National Park. (AP)