Bappenas backs extension of forestry moratorium

The National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) strongly supported the plan of the Forestry Ministry to extend the two-year moratorium on the issuance on the issuance of new licenses for the conversion of primary forests and peat lands, Bisnis Indonesia reported on Friday.

Deputy Minister for National Development Plan and the deputy chairman of Bappenas, Lukita Dinarsyah Tuwo, said that his ministry backed the extension of the moratorium, which would end on May 20, this year.

He said that the moratorium would be further focused on the government?s program to stop any activities on primary forests and peat lands as well as to closely monitor the activities in areas which have been given permits for productive activities.

Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan said earlier that he fully agreed to extend the moratorium in order to further preserve the country?s forest areas.

He said his office was waiting for the President to make decision about the forest moratorium, regulated in the President Decree No.11/2011.

Meanwhile, the secretary general of the Forestry Ministry, Hadi Daryanto, said that although the Forestry Minister had in principle agreed to extend the moratorium, the drafting of the technical details on its extension had been completed.

He said that if the moratorium was not extended, the country?s forest conservation areas would be still well protected because the existing law clearly stated that the use of forest conservation areas is prohibited. (*)