PROTECTED AREAS USED TO EXPAND INDONESIAN OIL PALM PLANTATIONS

PROTECTED AREAS USED TO EXPAND INDONESIAN OIL PALM PLANTATIONS

Monday May 12, 2008,

JAKARTA, May 12 Asia Pulse -

The expansion of oil palm plantations in the regency of Kapuas Hulu in Indonesia's West Kalimantan has crossed the border into protected forests, the semi official news agency Antara reported.

Expansion has entered the 200,000 hectare Heart Of Borneo, which has been agreed to be preserved between three neighboring countries Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, said Haryono, the coordinator for forest Communication Issue of the World Wide Fund for Nature in West Kalimantan.

Nine subsidiaries of the Sinar Mas Group are believed to be involved in clearing 160,000 hectares of forests bordering the Betung Karihun National Park, Haryono said.

Kapuas Hulu has 1.63 million hectares of protected forests and National Parks.
By the end of 2007, West Kalimantan has 400,000 hectares of planted oil palm plantations said.