Jakarta. A recent session at the COP29 climate talks in Azerbaijan highlighted the importance for the private sector to safeguard biodiversity, including by allocating some of its concessions to preserve the ecosystem.

Ristianto Pribadi, a director at the Forestry Ministry, told the discussion that forests had become an integral part of Indonesia's national economy. However, he underlined the need to make sure that all economic activities were sustainable and could be accepted socially. About 43.55 percent of Indonesia's productive forests are managed by 575 entities holding forestry use permits. These companies have allocated some 20 percent of around 5.3 million hectares to biodiversity conservation. These preservation areas include wildlife corridors, peat domes, and rehabilitation areas.

Government data also shows that Indonesia's forest areas span 125.92 million hectares or 63.7 percent of Indonesia's land area. Of that amount, the allocation for conservation forest areas and protected forests is 27.43 hectares and 29.66 million hectares respectively. There are about 29.22 million hectares of production forests. Some 26.79 million forests are dedicated for production activities that are of lower intensity. The government has allocated 26.79 hectares of production forests that can be converted for development needs.

The government has issued a policy on the management of preservation areas to make sure that any activities do not harm the ecosystems. Satyawan Pudyatmoko, the director-general of natural resources conservation at the Forestry Ministry, also said that the government were working on the implementing regulations on the protected areas.

"Landowners and concession holders must ensure that the areas they manage continue to function as life support through conservation actions," he said.

Efforts Done by the Private Sector

Dian Novarina, the deputy director for stakeholder engagement and sustainability at APRIL Group, told the same panel of what the company had done to conserve and restore the ecosystem. According to Dian, APRIL adopts what they call a production-protection concept. This is a concept that sees the company sourcing its raw materials from the country's plantation forests while also paying attention to conservation and restoration efforts.

"By implementing this concept, industrial plantation forests become a buffer by providing protection to the preservation area from external threats, such as illegal logging, fires, and also wildlife hunting," Dian said.

The government has granted APRIL a license for industrial forest use that covers an area of 1 million hectares. The industrial plantation forests managed by the producer of the paper product PaperOne have reached 454,021 hectares. The forests also supply raw materials needed for other products such as tissue, rayon, and packaging paper.

APRIL has also made a 1-for-1 commitment. The company vows to protect a hectare of its forests for every hectare of the plantation forest that it manages. APRIL reported that it had protected and restored 362,136 hectares, or around 80 percent of the target set. The company's flagship restoration project -- the Restorasi Ekosistem Riau -- helps contribute to this program. The Restorasi Ekosistem Riau is a massive ecosystem restoration project that lies in the Kampar Peninsula and Padang Island, which is equivalent to twice the area of ​​Singapore.

Dian said that the preservation areas were based on government regulations. The company said that it had also held studies for high-conservation value forests not only within its concessions but also the surroundings. "Because wildlife and biodiversity need connectivity," said Dian.

Since 2020, APRIL has invested $1 USD for every ton of wood produced to support conservation activities, including through partnerships with multiple stakeholders. APRIL has invested nearly $35 million in this commitment to date.

APRIL implements these Production-Protection practices are implemented in the company's operational areas in Riau Province. The industrial forests serve as "fortresses" for protected and restored natural forest areas. The plantation forests also provide space for wildlife, such as Sumatran tigers and elephants.