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Forests & forest fires

Fires darken skies once more

Down to Earth No. 45, May 2000

The onset of the dry season saw the prospect of another regional 'haze' crisis as fires set by plantation companies clearing land spread out of control in the dry weather. A pall of smoke began to spread over parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan early in March and pollution levels reached hazardous levels. Indonesia's neighbours, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei sent letters urging the Indonesian government to take action.

Communities confront loggers

Down to Earth No. 45, May 2000

Indigenous communities whose forests have been plundered by logging companies are demanding compensation for the damage. Deprived of the protection they enjoyed under former President Suharto, the companies are having to take them seriously.

New Kalimantan mega-project will not proceed

Down to Earth No. 45, May 2000

The government has decided that the repackaged Kalimantan mega-project will not after all go ahead, due to the huge problems the original project created. The disastrous million hectare project to convert peat swamp forests to rice-fields was launched in 1995 but was finally halted last year after the catastrophic environmental impacts became obvious.

Kutai under siege

Down to Earth No. 45, May 2000

The situation of Kutai National Park in East Kalimantan is critical. Its head, Toni Suhartono, reckons 10 hectares of forest are cleared daily by illegal loggers. Much of this is the result of highly organised operations. Some 50 trucks per day transport logs out of the Park to the boom town of Sangatta where middle-men export them from the local port.

Loggers rush to strip Siberut

Down to Earth No. 44, February 2000

Siberut provides a vivid example of the way the powerful combination of Indonesia's economic problems and changes to local autonomy and forestry legislation threaten the future of the country's forests and indigenous people. A UNESCO workshop on conservation and sustainable development for the Siberut biosphere zone brought various conflicting parties together to look for local solutions.

Illegal log exports from Mentawai Islands

Down to Earth No. 44, February 2000

The Padang-based NGO, Pakis, has exposed two cases of log smuggling from the Pagai islands, part of the Mentawai chain off the west coast of Sumatra.

Spotlight on Indonesia's forests

Down to Earth No. 44 February 2000

With the release of new maps and data on forest cover (or the lack of it) in Indonesia, the Jakarta government is having to face up to the country's rapid deforestation rate. International donors are pressing Wahid's government to take action now to stop illegal logging and to draw up a coherent medium-term national forestry programme.