Antara 14 Apr 10;
Karanganyar, C Java (ANTARA News) - Fifty two million hectares of forests in Indonesia are damaged to the extent of 40 percent.
Chairman of the Lestari Forest Circle Agus Sudarto made the statement during a planting campaign in a Karanganyar square, Central Java on Tuesday.
"Let us make a success of Planting One Billion Trees," he said, adding that the forestry ministry allocated Rp 2 trillion for reforestation this year.
The planting one billion trees movement began from the Bengawan Solo, Siliwung, and Citarum river basins as these area have become seriously damaged and deforested.
"The three river basins are in a very critical condition, and unless restored to normal soon, these areas will be facing floods during the rainy season, as what had happened recently to Ciliwung and Citarum river basins," he said.
It has been decided to prioritize the restoration of the Bengawan Solo river basin, as the population living along the river flow is very dense.
The reforestation of Bengawan Solo river basin will be centered in Karanganyar by planting 2,000 highly fertile and productive seedlings, like mango, durian and others.
To support the project, Karanganyar will not only have 2,000 trees, but four million this year, Karanganyar Regent, Rina Iriani said.
Toughing on tree felling, Ria Iriani said the Karanganyar administration has stopped issuing permits for the felling of forests in the past few years, both those of state forestry company Perhutani and those owned by individuals.(*)
