56,000 hectares critical lands located in Biak, Papua

Biak, Jubi/Antara – Biak Numfor Forest Management official released data of 56,000 hectares of critical forest areas in Papua, in 2015. “If previous critical forest areas amounted to 42,000 hectares but there has been increased [of critical forest areas] so it would need replanting from time to time,” said head of forest management office, Aris […]

600 hectares of protected forest turn into community forest

Airmadidi, Ekuatorial – No less than 600 hectares of protected forests in North Minahasa would be turned into community forests where people might be able to manage forest products but were not allowed to cut its trees, said Joppy Lengkong, head of North Minahasa Forestry Agency, on Saturday (1/3). “We have already proposed for 600 […]

Fish farmers in Lampung lost millions of rupiah due to massive floods

Bandarlampung, Ekuatorial – Shrimp and fish farmers lost millions of rupiah after their ponds were inundated by two meters of flood, said a local villager, on Monday (23/2), in South Lampung. “Flood hit ponds as a result of Sekampung river, which is located between South Lampung and East Lampung, overflowed,” said Guntoro, village secretary of […]

Mesuji residents refuse partnership for land ownership

Bandarlampung, Ekuatorial – Despite of illegally encroached forest areas, Mesuji residents refused partnerships offer from the company arguing that it was only temporary agreement, said a local villager on Friday (20/2). Initially, Register 45 district of Mesuji comprised of 33,500 hectares but PT Silva Hutani (SIL) had been granted additional permits for a total of […]

Aceh Tamiang demands MoEF to revoke its letter on land use change

Langsa, Ekuatorial – Aceh Tamiang people demanded on Friday (20/2) for Ministry of Environment and Forestry to revoke its decision letter related to the district’s spatial planning fearing that it will destroy remaining protected forests in the area. The decision letter (SK) issued by then Ministry of Forestry in 2014 was blasted by local people […]

Deforested Lawu Mountain lead to clean water scarcity

Karanganyar, Ekuatorial – Massive deforestation at Lawu Mountain of Central Java led to clean water scarcity, said an expert on Thursday (12/2), in Karanganyar, Central Java. “Research through aerial photo shown that vegetation in Lawu Mountain do not qualified as sufficient water catchment areas. The Lawu forest which majority covered with pine trees are now […]

73 endemic birds of West Papua released to the wild

Sorong, Ekuatorial – West Papua Natural Resources Conservation Agency, or BKSDA, finally released confiscated Victoria crowned pigeons and yellow-crested cockatoos back to their wild habitat in North Salawati Nature Reserve of Raja Ampat, on Saturday (31/1). This was BKSDA’s third release of wild animals confiscated from illegal trading in 2014. “We have released black-capped lory […]

Deforestation leads to food insecurity for Lampung

Bandarlampung, Ekuatorial – Water crisis resulted from environmental degradation would lead to decreasing rice production in Lampung. Hence, rice security targeted by the province in 2015 will not be achieved, said an activist on Friday (30/1), in Lampung. Job Carles, Lampung based WWF Project Manager, said that Lampung’s rice production was declining, especially in Tanggamus […]

Expert slams Manado government expanding reclamation plan

Manado, Ekuatorial – Despite of Manado government’s clearance on its reclamation activities, expert slammed it as destroying the ecosystem and its marine biodiversity. Since 1998, North Sulawesi had issued 19 reclamation permits, eight permits were issued by Manado administration for a total of 114 hectares and 11 permits were issued by Minahasa district government for […]