Indonesia: Jambi Forest Needs Protection - Warsi

Jakarta Globe 15 Aug 12;

Jambi. Up to two million hectares of forest land in Jambi province, or 40 percent of the total land area, is in a degraded state and leading to a gamut of social and environmental problems, conservationists say.

Rudi Syaf, communications manager for environmental group Warsi, said the only remaining stretch of forest in the province was inside protected or conservation areas, which were also under threat.

“There’s so much illegal logging and forest clearing going on, yet it’s important to preserve the forests to ensure the sustainability of life,” he said.

He warned that the increasing scale of forest degradation had led to landslides during the rainy season and acute water shortages during the dry season.

Rudi also cited the increasing frequency of flash floods in the province, as rivers became heavily silted from loose topsoil which burst the banks.

“When it comes to the dry season, you can see how much harder it is for people to get clean water,” Rudi said. “The piped water supply often stops because the reservoirs have run dry, while the wells that villagers dig also dry up.”

The growing frequency of human-animal conflicts, particularly the Sumatran elephant and the Sumatran tiger, was another consequence of increased human activity in forests, he said.

Warsi has recorded at least 11 cases in the past four years of tigers killing humans after being driven out of their natural habitats, and more instances of people being injured by tigers or elephants.

Rudi said this was a clear sign that the extent of the deforestation in Jambi was out of control, and he called for stringent measures to preserve the remaining forests and restore “the natural balance.”

He suggested protecting the Bujang Raba forest area, the source of three major rivers that pass through the province, to help restore water levels in downstream areas.

“We need a comprehensive and sustainable scheme to manage the ecosystem,” Rudi said.

The area covers 109,000 hectares of protected forest, indigenous land, logging forest, oil palm and rubber plantations.

Antara

Jambi has largest community forest in Indonesia
Antara 9 Aug 12;

Jambi (ANTARA News) - Jambi province has the largest community-based forest in Indonesia, covering 52,521 hectares, according to Jambi River Basin Management (BPDAS) head Garendel Siboro.

The community-based forest in Indonesia is expected to cover an area of 10 million hectares by 2015, while the reserve area is expected to reach 854,289 hectares, he said here on Thursday.

"The community-based forest management program covers several forest management projects on community forestry and rural forestry, among others" Garendel added.

He noted that community-based forest management was the most effective way to preserve and protect forests, particularly in the upstream areas.

"We admit that several mistakes have been made during this time, which stemmed from lack of agreement between the government and local administration on policies. One of the issues related to issuance of forest management permits, which hampered forest preservation efforts," Garendel explained.

"Through community-based forest management, the local people can be directly involved in protecting their environment. Besides, the forests can also provide employment opportunities for locals, who can benefit from selling non-timber products," he said.

Meanwhile, Yulgori, the coordinator of Indonesian Conservation Community (KKI) Warsi, Jambi, also stated that community-based forest management scheme would help preserve the forests as well as benefit the local economy.

"People can exploit the forests either individually or in groups, as long as they obey the rules and get permission. Therefore, awareness about the benefits of environmental sustainability must be raised among all the stakeholders," he added.
(T.KR-LWA/INE/KR-BSR/H-YH)

Editor: Priyambodo RH