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APRIL supplier violates new forest policy, peatland forests in Borneo cleared after moratorium issued
EoF News / 22 June 2015
EoF News (SAMARINDA)--- A supplier of Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) in North Kalimantan cleared natural forest on peatland in violation of APRIL’s recently launched 2nd version of the Sustainable Forest Management Policy (SFMP).
Landsat satellite images of the PT Adindo Hutani Lestari (AHL) concession taken on 16 and 24 May and 9 June show forested peatland being cleared after 15 May 2015, the day by which APRIL promised to halt all their suppliers’ forest clearance (see Map below). The clearing may still be happening today, NGOs warns.
The clearing violates APRIL’s SFMP 2.0 released just a few weeks ago in which the group promised that it “will not undertake any new development on forested land or forested peatland.” The area’s peat is supposed to be more than 2 meters deep, that protected by government regulation.
Adindo Hutani Lestari had already continued to violate APRIL’s initial SFMP 1.0 since it had been published in January 2014 by continuing to clear natural forests on peat without proper HCV assessment, partly in violation of government laws and regulations.
“Our continued monitoring of AHL’s violations and increasing pressure by many NGOs prompted APRIL to improve its forest policy and commit to a forest clearance moratorium by all suppliers,” said Kamiruddin from Gapeta Borneo, a non-governmental organization along with WWF-Indonesia East Kalimantan Program monitoring performance of APRIL as they started last year.
“However, the reported violation of the moratorium from its very beginning makes us skeptical about the company’s latest promises. It appears to be business as usual for APRIL,” Kamiruddin said.
“In Riau Province in Sumatra, APRIL had continued to clear natural forest on peat in violation of its first, much weaker SFMP. APRIL conveniently managed to clear all the forest they could before they published their updated SFMP this year” said Woro Supartinah of EoF coalition in Riau.
“We hope APRIL does not do the same thing with AHL concession which shows a constant violation of its own sustainability policy. We call APRIL and AHL to stop forest clearance immediately,” she added.
AHL’s deforestation history and its violations of APRIL’s SFMP 1 have been documented in detail:
GAPETA Borneo, RPHK & WWF-Indonesia-East Kalimantan Program (20 May 2014) BAHASA INDONESIA: Penebangan Hutan Alam Gambut Dalam Berlanjut di Perusahaan Pemasok APRIL. Komitmen lestari APRIL dipertanyakan, Hutan Bernilai Konservasi Tinggi (HCVF) ditebang. / ENGLISH: Natural Forest Clearance Continues on Deep Peat in APRIL Supplier Concession. APRIL’s sustainability commitment questioned, High Conservation Value Forest cleared.
EoF Reports
For the history of deforestation by APRIL in Riau in violation of its SFMP 1, please see:
- EoF (20Nov14) APRIL RGE continues deforestation - grievance submitted to APRIL SAC EN final.pdf
- EoF 20 April 2014 Investigative Report Triomas APRIL
- Laporan EoF: APRIL menebangi HCVF Kampar PT Triomas