Saturday, January 31, 2009

Spatial planning changes `endanger forests'

Adianto P. Simamora , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 01/31/2009

Poor spatial planning, a booming carbon market and a slump in productivity are the major obstacles facing Indonesia's natural forests this year, a discussion heard Friday.

Speakers at the discussion agreed the global economic downturn would speed up the destruction of forests as foreign *buyers' increasingly turn to cheaper wood products, encouraging illegal logging activities.

"The most worrying trend now is plans by local administrations to convert massive areas of forests into industrial areas. Almost all regencies outside Java have proposed for spatial planning changes to allow them to convert forests," the Indonesia Association of Forestry Concessionaires (APHI) deputy chairman Nana Suparna said.

Fear of the economic crisis has driven local administrations to push the proposal forward to quickly assist struggling local economies.

Data from the association showed the total area of natural forests continues to decline from 61 million hectares in 1992 to only 26 million hectares last year.

"I hope the government understands how urgent the need is to protect our natural forests, because they could be the key to saving biodiversity and prevent a (food) crisis in the country," Nana said.

Indonesia has the third largest area of natural forests in the world with 120 million hectares of rainforests.

However, data continues to show that deforestation due to forest conversion, especially for palm oil plantations, continues to increase.

Forest activist Andika Mancayo said carbon generated from forests could spark new conflict among local administrations because many do not understand the concept of carbon trading in detail.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/01/31/spatial-planning-changes-endanger-forests039.html

Hall of Shame for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the Palm Oil Industry.

Nothing can prepare one for the sight of the systematic extermination of orangutans by the government of Indonesia.

Look at the photos and news articles on these pages in the context of a statement the President made to the media on 10th December 2007.

“In the last 35 years about 50,000 orangutans are estimated to have been lost as their habitats shrank. If this continues, this majestic creature will likely face extinction by 2050,” President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said at the launch of an orangutan conservation plan at the climate talks in Bali.

“The fate of the orangutan is a subject that goes to the heart of sustainable forests … To save the orangutan we have to save the forest.”

Statements like these are most welcome, but unless backed up by action, such words fall on deaf ears within the Ministry of Forestry....who are busy granting licences to cut down the very forests the President says they should protect!

When you think you are to busy to help, please could you reflect for a moment on .........

The following extract refers to environmental problems in general. I just hope you find it as thought provoking and relevant to orangutans as I have.

"This is such a shocking and unpalatable fact that most people deny it, or they just don't want to think about it. They believe as individuals, they can do little about it, so push it to the back of their minds. But I can't do that.

When something has to be done, we need to do it. It doesn't matter how big the challenge is or how hard the solution; if I know something is wrong, and I am in a position to help, I will do my best to make it right." Duncan Bannatyne, successful British businessman.