27/01/2005 - A report
by Greenomics Indonesia, the policy research
institute, and WWF, shows that as much as
266,666ha of timber — an area more than
four times the size of Singapore — will
be needed for the tsunami reconstruction
effort in Aceh over the next five years.
The two organizations say that to avoid
the clearing of hundreds of thousands of
Indonesian forests, alternative foreign
sources of timber should be explored so
as not to create further financial burdens
on the Indonesian government.
Greenomics and WWF are proposing that some
of the aid already pledged by donors for
the reconstruction of Aceh should be made
in the form of timber. They calculate that
this would amount to one million cubic meters
per year, an amount that could quite easily
be met by the donors' joint efforts.
“The option of sourcing timber as aid from
other countries is much more rational than
accelerating land clearing of natural forests
in the name of the reconstruction of Aceh,”
said Elfian Efendi, the Executive Director
of Greenomics.
"It is also important that the timber
comes from sustainable sources. Otherwise
in tackling one disaster we shall merely
be creating another one."
Greenomics and WWF fear that if the government
continues to source timber, particularly
unsustainable supplies from Indonesia, this
will lead to severe flood and landslide
problems. Even before the tsunami about
70 per percent of timber was estimated to
come from unsustainable sources.
“The WWF-Global Network is prepared to
provide assistance to the Indonesia government
to source timber internationally by approaching
international organizations and International
donor agencies to mobilize timber and develop
aid policies and mechanisms to push the
process,” said Mubariq Ahmad, Executive
Director of WWF-Indonesia
The proposal for foreign aid in the form
of timber is backed by Indonesian parliament.
“This is a creative solution which will
reduce pressure on the Indonesia’s natural
forest, “ Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, a prominent
parliamentarian and former Environment Minister.
