Tuesday 1 June 2010

Jambi plans to convert forested areas

Jambi plans to convert forested areas
Tue, 06/01/2010

Sumatra

JAMBI CITY, Jambi: More than 120,000 hectares of Jambi's forests may be reclassified as auxiliary allocation areas (ARL) by the provincial administration after it discovered widespread deforestation, says an official.

"The areas were cleared by the residents. We have proposed to convert *the deforested areas* to ARLs to reduce conflict," said Donny, head of that Jambi Development Planning Board's Infrastructure and Facilities division.

The division discovered several private rubber and palm oil farms in the area, Donny said.
The government should find another way to preserve the forests, said Ade Chandra, spokesman of the group Warsi Indonesian Committee for Humanity (KKI Warsi).

Ade said that areas could be converted into community or village forests, which would permit people living in and around the forests to lead a sustainable life.

The conversion is part of the province's 2009-2029 master plan, he added. - JP

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/06/01/jambi-plans-convert-forested-areas.html