Ministry drafts regulation on social forest area

By Thomas Sembiring

The Ministry of Forestry and Environment is currently drafting a presidential instruction on so-called social forest area, which among others will allow the use of forest areas for strategic projects such as geothermal, oil and gas, and electricity.

?We?re drafting the indicative map on the social forestry,? said Rosa Vivien Ratnawati, a director at the ministry?s Directorate General of Social Forestry and Partnership on Tuesday.

She said that the ministry has projected about 12.7 million hectares of forest area to be designated for the social forest areas to be managed by the local people for various to help improve the welfare as well as to support the development of strategic national projects.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak