Syaipul Bakhori, Jambi – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) is predicting that forests in Sumatra will be gone within five years as a result of being exploited and changed into plantation areas.

The forests will be gone unless the government immediately takes the appropriate measures.

According to Walhi's executive director, Jhoni S. Mundung, as a result of the forests vanishing, Sumatra will not only no longer be known as the lungs of the world lungs but will also experience droughts in the dry season and floods in the rainy season.

"There will be a food crisis," said Jhoni during a meeting of the Walhi Sumatra chapter in Jambi yesterday (15/6).

Forests in Sumatra cover nine provinces from coast of Aceh to Lampung.

Jhoni cited that productive forests, protected forests, and national parks in Riau were almost all gone as most of them had been turned switched into oil palm plantation land and industry forest estates.

This analysis, he said, was proved by the fact that during the rainy season Riau now experiences large floods.

During the last 10 years, the Siak and Kampar rivers have not been able to hold back water overflows while water absorbing areas are very limited. "This caused Rp3.7 billion in losses, more than Riau's regional budget of Rp3.5 trillion," said Jhoni.

Bambang Antariksa, the Walhi administrator for Aceh, said that 50 percent of forests that are still in good condition are only to be found in Aceh, including the Leuser National Park.

According to Berian Porkan, a director at Walhi headquarters, there are damaged forests not only in Sumatra but also in Kalimantan and Sulawesi.

He said damaged forest in Indonesia caused by multi-dimensional crises involving economic, political, social and cultural sectors.

Berian suggested the government be more selective in receiving outside assistance aimed at protecting the forests. "We have to be careful in case there are different interests involved," he said.