Redelineation: Last Opportunity to Save Natural Forest and Peatland in Indonesian Pulpwood Plantation Concessions

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Marilyn Harrington
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1 Redelineation: Last Opportunity to Save Natural Forest and Peatland in Indonesian Pulpwood Plantation Concessions 7 October 2011

In September, Greenomics Indonesia was afforded the opportunity to make two presentations to the Ministry of Forestry regarding the need for Indonesia to immediately reposition itself as a pulp and

2 In September, Greenomics Indonesia was afforded the opportunity to make two presentations to the Ministry of Forestry regarding the need for Indonesia to immediately reposition itself as a pulp and paper producer. The presentations were chaired by the Ministry of Forestry s Secretary General, Dr. Hadi Daryanto. The first presentation, on 12 September, was attended by internal Ministry of Forestry figures, while the second presentation, on 14 September, was attended by representatives of APP (Asia Pulp and Paper) and APRIL (Asia Pacific Resources International Holding Limited). During the presentations, Greenomics explained that Indonesia needed to immediately reposition itself as a pulp and paper producer for four main reasons: First, in response to the continuing boycotts of Indonesia paper products, which not only backed pulp and paper groups APP and APRIL into a corner, but also increasingly backed Indonesia into a corner as a pulp and paper producer amid the country s commitment to being a global leader in the effort to reduce emissions in the forestry sector. Second, the strong reactions to various advertisements and reports issued by the Indonesian pulp and paper industry, particularly by APP, which are criticized for being nothing more than greenwashing. The criticism has resulted from the fact that the APP advertisements are not entirely in keeping with the facts. Third, the continuing PR war involving the Indonesian pulp and paper industry, particularly APP, which does nothing to improve Indonesia s reputation as a pulp and paper producing country. Based on the above four considerations and despite little hope of change Greenomics put forward a potential strategy that has long been neglected by the Ministry of Forestry, namely, the need for a repositioning in response to global market reaction and the deteriorating reputation of the Ministry of Forestry, which, in its role as regulator, is considered responsible for the destruction of natural forest and peatland by the Indonesian pulp and paper industry. Fourth, the threat of further boycotts of Indonesian paper products, which needs to be countered by repositioning Indonesia as a pulp and paper producing country. 1

Recommendations on how to bring about repositioning First Recommendation: Greenomics recommends that the Ministry of Forestry put an end to the greenwashing campaign being waged by the Indonesian

3 Recommendations on how to bring about repositioning First Recommendation: Greenomics recommends that the Ministry of Forestry put an end to the greenwashing campaign being waged by the Indonesian pulp and paper industry. In this respect, Greenomics would like to see the Ministry in its role both as regulator and in acting on behalf of Indonesia as a pulp and paper producer focusing on historical evidence in connection with the Indonesian pulp and paper industry so as to put an end to the current greenwashing. As part of this effort to focus on historical evidence so that allegations of greenwashing can no longer be aimed at Indonesia, Greenomics would select the Giam Siak Kecil- Bukit Batu Biosphere Reserve, Riau Province, as a case study (see Map 1). Map 1 Core area Bufferzone Transition area 2

4 Map 2 and 3 show the historical evidences of deforestation by APP concessions in the area. The changes in land cover in APP concessions from natural forest (shown in green) and non- natural forest cover (shown in red) during the period from Sinar Mas Forestry data for October 2010 shows that the area of the Giam Siak Kecil- Bukit Batu Biosphere Reserve amounts to 705,271 hectares, with the core area extending to 178,722 hectares, the buffer zone to 222,426 hectares and the transition area to 304,123 hectares. Of the said core area of 178,722 hectares, APP claims that more than 72,000 hectares have been set aside from APP concessions by four of its pulpwood plantation concessionaires. This claim is misleading as that areas that have been set aside are actually classified as deep peat protected areas, which must by law be fully protected, rather than being set aside, as claimed by APP. The use of the term set aside is designed by APP to give the impression to the global public that they have sacrificed something by allocating part of their concessions for deep peat conservation. In fact, this is not the case. Once again, it needs to be stressed that APP has not set aside anything! This use of the term is nothing more than an attempt at greenwashing by APP. 3

If we want to see just to what extent APP is committed to conserving peatland forest in the Giam Siak Kecil- Bukit Batu Biosphere Reserve, we only need to look at the changes in natural forest cover

5 If we want to see just to what extent APP is committed to conserving peatland forest in the Giam Siak Kecil- Bukit Batu Biosphere Reserve, we only need to look at the changes in natural forest cover in the concessions of APP that surround the core area of the Giam Siak Kecil- Bukit Batu Biosphere Reserve. Map 4, which was scanned from the said Ministry of Forestry Report, shows that many of the deforestation spots that occurred in Riau Province between 2003 and 2006 were located in pulpwood plantation concessions, including in the buffer zone of the Giam Siak Kecil- Bukit Batu Biosphere Reserve. The changes that occurred in natural forest cover between 2000 and 2009 are highly representative and provide an excellent basis for assessing the extent to which APP is committed to the conservation of natural forest and wildlife habitat in the buffer zone and transition area. The land clearing conducted by the APP concessionaires was closely related to the securing of timber raw materials to supply APP s pulp operations. This gives rise to the question that is frequently debated does what was carried out by the APP concessionaires amount to deforestation? Land clearing was carried out by APP concessionaires in the bufferzone of the Giam Siak Kecil- Bukit Batu Biosphere Reserve. Landcover and Deforestation Map Greenomics does not wish to become involved in the debate over whether the clearance of natural forest for the purpose of developing pulpwood plantations amounts to deforestation bearing in mind that the map published by the Ministry of Forestry in 2009 already unambiguously categorize the clearance of natural forest for pulpwood plantations as deforestation (see Map 4). Naturally, this map of the Ministry of Forestry needs to be taken into consideration by APP and be used by the company in future campaigns. Once again, this map represents historical evidence. As regards this first recommendation, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Forestry stated that it was time for a document to be produced setting out comprehensive historical evidence both legal and changes in natural forest cover as regards the impacts of Government of Indonesia policies and regulations in the development of forestry plantations, including pulpwood plantations so as to eliminate the potential for greenwashing. 4

Second Recommendation: Greenomics recommends that the Ministry of Forestry should immediately redelineate the results of the micro delineations carried out by the pulpwood plantation concessionaires

concessions (Tasik Belat and Kampar Blocks, Riau Province) deep peatlands) and which have been targeted for land clearing.

6 Second Recommendation: Greenomics recommends that the Ministry of Forestry should immediately redelineate the results of the micro delineations carried out by the pulpwood plantation concessionaires and which have been approved so as to conserve blocks of natural forest that are still in good condition (including Two large blocks of natural forests within the 2009 APRIL pulpwood plantation concessions (Tasik Belat and Kampar Blocks, Riau Province) deep peatlands) and which have been targeted for land clearing. In this way, these blocks could be saved from felling and retained as natural forest cover. Map 5 The reason for the request is that the micro- delineation documents that provide the basis for the development of the plantations are not effective as they are fraught with data manipulation. Accordingly, they will also be ineffective for the purpose of saving intact natural forest within the said pulpwood plantations. The Secretary General of the Ministry of Forestry gave a positive response to this recommendation and asked that the matter be followed up on with the relevant Ministry of Forestry officials so as to develop a conceptual formulation of how the redelineation process could be carried out in practice. Given that it is very late in the day and the remaining natural forest (including deep peatlands) that is found in the APP and APRIL pulpwood plantation concessions is much diminished, particularly given the speed of land clearance in recent years, including this year, such redelineation will need to be carried out as expeditiously as possible. 5

7 On 16 September 2011, Greenomics presented its operational concept to the relevant officials of the Ministry of Forestry. To show how the concept would work in practice, Greenomics used as an example targeted land clearing in a large block located on a PT RAPP (APRIL Group) pulpwood plantation concession in Riau Province (see Map 6). Map 6 shows that almost all of the concession in PT RAPP s Pulang Padang Blok consists of virtually intact natural forest cover that is worthy of preserving but which has been targeted for the most part for land clearing this year. Based on this example, if a commitment is forthcoming from the Ministry of Forestry to quickly conduct a redelineation of this intact natural forest, it will be possible to save part of the 31,000 hectares of natural forest that have been targeted for land clearing by PT RAPP. If such commitment is not forthcoming, then an area of natural forest that is almost half the size of Singapore will be felled. This is just one example involving one block in a pulpwood plantation concession, and clearly shows why such redelineation is essential. This block consisted of more than 31,000 hectares and was included for land clearing in the company s 2011 Work Plan, with the estimated timber volume that would result being 3.16 million cubic meters. Obviously, such a large volume of timber represents an important source of raw materials for APRIL operations. 6

During its presentation on 14 September 2011, Greenomics asked the Secretary General of the Ministry of Forestry about two important arguments often used by APP in its publicity campaigns.

8 During its presentation on 14 September 2011, Greenomics asked the Secretary General of the Ministry of Forestry about two important arguments often used by APP in its publicity campaigns. This was an important opportunity as the Secretary General s response would be heard directly by the APP representatives. Correcting two misleading APP campaign arguments As a basis, Greenomics presented evidence of natural forest cover drawn from Google Earth satellite images from August 2011 that had already been and would in the future be targeted for clearance by PT Suntara Gajapati (an APP pulpwood supplier). The two questions addressed by Greenomics to the Secretary General were as follows: First: Did the natural forest cover shown in Images 1 and 2 (see images) constitute degraded land? As already suspected, the Secretary General said that the land cover was not degraded as it was still intact, meaning that it should be preserved as natural forest. The Secretary General also stated that micro delineation instrument was an inadequate instrument for saving intact natural forest cover, such as that shown on the Suntara concession. Image 1 Second: Should timber obtained from the clearance of intact natural forest on the Suntara concession which according to the Suntara business plan would amount to 1.39 million cubic meters be treated as waste? The Secretary General responded that timber from intact natural forest could not be described as waste. As it was not waste, compensation would be payable to the State for it, as established by regulation in This also means that micro- delineation designed to save intact natural forest shown to be ineffective. These two responses by the Secretary General need to be heeded by APP, which now needs to desist from making claims to the contrary - - something that it does frequently. Image 2 To put matters briefly in context, Suntara s concession is an important part of the habitat of the Sumatran tiger. However, only 3,850 hectares of the 34,792 hectares in the Suntara concession are designated as a tiger conservation zone by the Minister of Forestry, or only 11%. Thus, the natural forest on around 89% of the concession is targeted for clearance, with the clearance process, according to Suntara s Business Plan, being due for completion in

9 Conclusion Greenomics Indonesia believes that if the Ministry of Forestry fails to reposition Indonesia as a pulp and paper producer by conducting a redelineation process for intact natural forest, including deep peatlands areas, located with pulpwood plantation concessions, Indonesia will lose its last opportunity for redemption. In the end, historical evidence will show that the present Ministry of Forestry s tenure produced no meaningful change, meaning it continues to be business as usual. For further information please contact: Vanda Mutia Dewi National Coordinator of Greenomics Indonesia vandamutia@greenomics.org 8

EoF Report: FACT or FICTION?

EoF Report: FACT or FICTION? 20 December 2011 Background than fact. In response to the Eyes on the Forest (EoF/Walhi-Riau, Jikalahari and WWF-Indonesia) report titled The Truth Behind APP s Greenwash,