Deforestation Declines, Forestry Minister Says

Ambon (Antara Bali) - The rate of deforestation in Indonesia has now dropped from 2.5 million hectares to only 500,000 hectares a year, forestry minister Zulkifli Hasan said.

"The rate of deforestation in the conservation, protected, production as well as limited production forests has dropped significantly to only 500,000 hectares from formerly 2.5 million hectares," he said in a written address read out by the head of the Maluku forestry service, at the peak event for the commemoration of the Indonesia Planting Trees Day (HMPI) and the National Tree Planting (BMN) here on Wednesday.

The minister said the success was achieved due to national components' seriousness and awareness of the need to restore forests that have been damaged, reduce forest degradation and deforestation through land and forest rehabilitation, the million trees planting for the world program and development of people's plantation, traditional, community and village forests as well as law enforcement and verification of wood legality.

He said however he was still concerned over forests in certain provinces that have not yet been rehabilitated or reforested.

The minister said in the years to come the one-billion trees planting program would be prioritized for conservation, protected and production forests while outside them priority would be given to forests in villages, development of people's forests and forests in cities. (IGT/T007)