Ahmad Fikri (Kontributor), Jakarta – The Governor of West Java, Dedi Mulyadi, admitted to preparing a circular on a moratorium or temporary ban on forest logging in areas at risk of causing disasters. The circular is addressed to regents and mayors in West Java.
"The West Java Provincial Government will soon create a moratorium on the logging of forest areas with the potential for calamities. The moratorium will be prepared and launched as soon as possible," Dedi said in a press release on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.
He explained that the forest conditions in West Java are alarming. He mentioned that only 20 percent of the original forest area in West Java remains, while the rest has been damaged.
The moratorium on deforestation, he said, will be imposed due to the concerning state of the forests. The ban on tree felling will target trees with a diameter greater than 2 meters, according to the circular.
As stated in the press release, the issuance of the circular awaits the issuance of the Governor's Regulation replacing Governor's Regulation No. 11 of 2025 concerning Land Use Control, which will expire in November 2025. The replacement regulation is planned to be issued in January 2026.
Dedi Mulyadi said that a ban on tree felling is necessary to prevent natural disasters. He mentioned that West Java is at risk of experiencing floods and landslides similar to those in Sumatra. "The disasters in Aceh and West Sumatra could also happen to us, not to scare people," he said.
Concurrently with the moratorium on deforestation, Dedi Mulyadi also plans to involve residents in tree planting and forest management. He plans to provide a daily wage of Rp50,000 for residents who are willing to plant and care for trees until they are sturdy.
A combination of non-felling forest trees and productive trees will be planted so that residents can enjoy them in the future.
Separately, Dedi Mulyadi mentioned that he is currently preparing a reforestation program for the tea plantation areas in Ciater, Pangalengan, and Puncak, which will be converted to vegetable crops. "What we are currently working on includes the areas in Pangalengan, totaling 200 hectares in the first phase," he said at Gedung Sate, Bandung, on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.