InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – The Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), Nusron Wahid, has confirmed the revocation of palm oil plantation certificates found within the Tesso Nilo National Park (TNTN) in Riau. This decision marks a decisive step by the government to protect the conservation area, which serves as a habitat for endangered species such as the Sumatran elephant and tiger.
“We will revoke the certificates. If it’s a forest area, we will revoke it,” Nusron asserted after a working meeting with Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives in Jakarta, as reported by InfoSAWIT from Antara on Thursday (July 3, 2025).
He stated that the ATR/BPN Ministry would not wait for a re-verification process, as field checks have already been conducted, revealing violations. “No need for further checks. We have already verified it; we will revoke it immediately,” he said succinctly yet firmly.
This action signals that the government will not tolerate illegal land use practices in areas designated for natural conservation. Previously, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) also emphasized that it would not allow illegal activities in the TNTN area located in Pelalawan Regency, Riau. Sapto Aji Prabowo, Director of Conservation Areas at the KLHK, reaffirmed the government's commitment to protecting this vital area.
“There is no room for illegal activities in conservation areas. Firm actions will continue to be taken to restore, protect, and manage Tesso Nilo National Park,” Sapto stated in Jakarta on Wednesday (June 11).
Tesso Nilo is significant as a representative of lowland forests in Sumatra, rich in biodiversity. Designated as a National Park since 2004, it spans 81,793 hectares and serves as the last refuge for endangered species such as the Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) and Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica).
However, significant challenges threaten the sustainability of this area. Currently, only about 24 percent, or approximately 19,000 hectares, of the total TNTN area remains forested. The rest has been converted into open land, settlements, and illegal palm oil plantations—conditions that clearly violate Law No. 5 of 1990 in conjunction with Law No. 32 of 2024 concerning the Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems.
As part of the protection efforts, the government is conducting joint operations with law enforcement agencies. Actions are being taken against illegal logging perpetrators, forest encroachers, and owners of illegal palm oil plantations. Measures already implemented include arrests, dismantling illegal shelters, seizing heavy equipment, and destroying illegal palm oil plantations.
Additionally, the Attorney General's Office, through the Forest Area Rescue Task Force (Satgas PKH), is investigating alleged irregularities in the issuance of land ownership certificates in the TNTN area. This task force is currently examining potential administrative and criminal violations related to the issuance of certificates in areas that should be classified as protected forests.
The latest enforcement actions took place on Tuesday (June 10, 2025), involving the demolition of illegal homes, the clearing of illegal plantations, unauthorized palm oil cultivation, and practices such as livestock maintenance and forest burning that clearly violate the law.
While there has been no detailed explanation regarding the number of certificates to be revoked or the identities of landowners, the ATR/BPN Minister's decision represents an important initial step in the recovery efforts for the TNTN area. (T2)
