InfoSAWIT, BENGKULU – Natural forest canopy in Bengkulu Province which was known as the Paradise of Rafflesia, now significantly gets narrower for the past 22 years.

According to Genesis Bengkulu, the main cause is the land use change to be palm oil plantations. According to data of Mapbiomas, forest canopy in Indonesia in 2000 laid about on 112.388.631 hectares, and in 2022 the numbers got narrower to be 105.876.146 hectares. It means, the decreasing numbers reached about 5,8% for 22 years.

Data of MapBiomas Indonesia 2.0 collection in 2022 showed that the forests Bengkulu Province turned to be non-forest regions, such as, non-forest plants, palm oil, paddy fields, wood plants, other agriculture, mining, and other non-vegetation that laid on about 154.990,25 hectares.

The details showed that non-forest regions in 2000 laid on about 142.107,10 hectares, and in 2022 they got wider to be 154.990,25 hectares. It means, non-forest regions escalated about 12.883,15 hectares in 22 years. Meanwhile natural forests and mangrove in Bengkulu in 2000 laid on about 781.787,62 hectares, and in 2022 they were laying on to be 768.905,20 hectares. This means natural forests in the province got narrower about 12.882,42 hectares in 22 years.

As InfoSAWIT quoted from Betahita, Director of Genesis, Egi Saputra, was sorry for the fact that natural forest canopy keeps being narrower every year while palm oil plantation canopy in forest regions got wider in numbers. Egi also told that in the past 22 years the areas that were changed to be palm oil plantations laid on about 17.359,55 hectares, escalated form 10.437,43 hectares to be 27.796,98 hectares in 2022.

It needs to supervise and get law enforcement in forestry sector. He told that palm oil plantations developing in many forest regions, still operate. This is serious because Ministry of Environment and Forestry emphasized that palm oil is not forest plant, according to the Regulation of Minister of Environment and Forestry P.23/2021 that declares palm oil is not categorized as forest and area rehabilitation plant.

In a focus group discussion by Jaringan Pemantauan Independen Kehutanan (JPIK), Sub coordinator of Forest Protection, Environment and Forestry Agency Bengkulu Province, Jhoni Hendri was afraid of business rights discrepancy with the width that should be and obscurity of forest boundary because of the people’s movement. (T2)