E Kalimantan loses 500,000 hectares of forest annually
E Kalimantan loses 500,000 hectares of forest annually
19 March 2006
published by www.antara.co.id
Samarinda, E Kalimantan — East Kalimantan which has 17 million hectares of forests must see the fact of losing its 500,000 hectare per year due to illegal logging activities, uncontrolled land clearance and forest fires, an local official said.
“There are at least six million hectares of critical lands in the province,” Nusyirwan Ismail, an assistant to the secretary of the provincial administrtaion said here Sunday.
He also said, a coordinating meeting on the province’s forestry development planning had recently paid its attention on the problem.
According to him, the treatment of the critical lands is not equal with the damages caused by the activities.
“Funds provided by the central government for the treatment are often limited and we receive them late. So we cannot carry out a regreening program 100 pct,” he added.
He said further that the provincial administration could not handle the problem alone.
“We need supports from all parties from the central government, local administrtaion, security and local people,” Nusyirwan said.
