Adianto P Simamora, Jakarta – Green activists strongly criticized the ongoing forest conversion work at Bukit Tigapuluh, saying it would speed up the loss of Sumatra's endangered species and further harm the environment.
The protest was made by five environmental NGOs on Tuesday, including WWF Indonesia, Indonesian Conservation Community Warsi, the Sumatran Tiger Conservation Program (PKHS), the Frankfurt Zoological Society and the Zoological Society of London.
Field investigations held by the activists found that the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park was under threat from illegal logging, forest clearing for plantations and road building that were linked to the operation Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) and its partners.
They said that natural forests in Jambi had become new targets for the firm as source materials as its conversion activities in neighboring Riau have been stopped due to a police investigation into illegal logging.
The activists said that APP's partners, PT Arara Abadi in Riau and PT Wirakarya Sakti in Jambi, had cleared some 20,000 hectares of natural forest in part of the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park.
It is believed that the forest clearance was done to supply pulp production at APP's subsidiaries, PT Indah Kiat Pulp and Paper in Riau and PT Lontar Papyrus Pulp and Paper in Jambi.
"With its high conservation value, the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park should be protected and thus all natural forest clearance in the area has to be stopped," Ian Kosasih, director of the forestry program at WWF Indonesia said in a statement.
"The company should commission independent assessments of the conservation values of these areas in a publicly transparent manner before any conversion take place."
Meanwhile, APP said that the company promoted forest conservation efforts in cooperation with the local people.
"The APP is in support of conservation efforts by Warsi, PKHS and other civil societies in Jambi and Riau, respectively," said Aida Greenbury, APP's vice director of sustainability & stakeholder engagement, in an email sent to The Jakarta Post.
"In fact, the APP's fiber suppliers and Sinarmas Forestry have been in active discussion with local government, WARSI and WALET in the rationalization plan of the proposed expansion of Bukit Tigapuluh national park, as well as with Forum Komunikasi Daerah in other related conservation efforts in Jambi province," she said. Warsi and Walet are two NGOs based in Jambi.
Aida said that the license for the development of the access road referred to had been granted by the relevant authorities. The ministry of forestry plans to convert the numbers of expired timber concessions through APP.
The activists said that the plan would threaten the habitat of endangered species and the environmental services provided by the Indragiri and Rateh rivers of Riau and Batanghari and Pengabuan rivers of Jambi.
They said that it would also threaten the livelihood of forest-dependent local communities, including the Talang Mamak and Orang Rimba indigenous tribes. They called on the government to take action in protecting the remaining forest in Bukit Tigapuluh.