Sumatra, Biodiversity loss, Pulp & paper, APP, Arara Abadi, EoF Report, giam siak kecil, semenanjung kampar, Senepis, tiger habitat,
Pekanbaru (EoF News) – Eyes on the Forest, a coalition of three environmental NGOs in Riau, Sumatra releases its Investigative Report March/April/June 2007 today. The EoF Investigation found Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) to be involved in forest clearance operations in some concessions in Giam Siak Kecil, Kampar Peninsula, and Senepis forest blocks.
EoF considers the operations in these three blocks allegedly illegal as well as destroying potential High Conservation Value Forests (HCVFs) including one that recommended by WWF to APP in 2003. Natural forest clearcutting for APP logging road poses a threat to endangered Sumatran tiger habitat in Senepis block that proposed to a tiger conservation by local administration.
EoF strongly calls all the concession holders involved, PT Tiara Cahaya Delima, PT Arara Abadi and PT Ruas Utama Jaya as well as APP to immediately stop their logging and timber sourcing operations to prevent questionable clearing of natural forests which are: (1) still in good condition, and (2) on peat soil deeper than 3m. PT Tiara Cahaya Delima associated to APP has been developing HTI whereas the official data from Riau Forestry Service stated that the concession’s status is inactive.
PT Arara Abadi of APP is still perpetrating illegal logging in natural forest of Kampar Peninsula block without any logging license. The road construction on the peatland-rich landscape would incite the loss of carbon reserve as well as the climate change. APP poses threat to a proposed Sumatran tiger conservation in Senepis block as its ongoing 45-km road construction cutting through natural forests. EoF found that the APP’s subsidiary has built corridor built by APP has reached 15 km.
EoF has submitted a letter requesting confirmation from APP management concerning to this investigative report. EoF have not received the response from APP management until the posting of this report. EoF also strongly calls APP to work with local NGOs to conduct HCVF assessment as well as delineate all HCVFs prior to any logging of natural forests as in concessions of PT Tiara Cahaya Delima, PT Arara Abadi, PT Ruas Utama Jaya, and PT Suntara Gaja Pati. Find Mar/Apr/Jun 2007 Investigative Report | Bahasa Version
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