News Directory

Shrinking production due to encroachment of forest

Musi Rawas (AFP) - Forest production in Sub Megang Sakti, Musi Rawas, South Sumatra, experienced a shrinkage in recent years due to intake of citizens to become oil palm plantations.

"The area of production forests continue to shrink because of allegedly kept encroached by plantation companies and local citizens to become oil palm plantations," said Head of Section of the Forestry Service Forest Inauguration Musi Rawas M Rodi ZAINURI, Wednesday.

He explained that until the year 2010 estimated production forest had been encroached upon reaching an area of 200 hectares.

Therefore the local forestry office will record points to the field to ensure that the area has been encroached upon and report to the Ministry of Forestry for the disposal area.

The area was currently still in grammar to forests agreement (TGHK) it changed its status to become another used area (APL), by issuing leases hkak (HGU).

Production forests, he said, could not be opened just like that but there must permit the release of acreage from Kemenhut, according to the rules of disposal areas.

The future the Forest Service will continue to monitor and record kawasa protected forest area, forest and other forest areas to determine extent of damage that occur every year.

In addition it also continues to conduct security to stop the encroachment and to prevent the continuity of forest ecosystems.