Indonesia’s forests stretch over parts of Borneo (Kalimantan) and various islands across Sulawesi, Java, Timor Leste, West Papua and Sumatra. Previous biological surveys have identified these regions as biodiversity hotspots, housing over 15,000 endemic plant species!

A large number of these trees are classified under the genus of Dipterocarpus (Greek for two-winged fruit). Generally unique to Southeast Asian tropical rainforests, the wood of these species are often prized and logged to provide for local economies. Furthermore, these majestic trees are responsible for containing large stocks of carbons to keep global warming in check.

However, in recent years, much of Indonesia’s forests have been cleared for other land-use purposes. Timber and pulpwood operations continue to log forests at a steady rate, while the economic prospects of oil palm and other cash crops have incentivised farmers to expand plantations at an alarming rate. Between 2000-2010 alone, it is estimated that just the oil palm and logging industries alone contributed to almost 20% of all forest loss – a net loss of over 36 million hectares of forests!

Click on the links below for more information on individual threats and challenges pertaining to forest management in Indonesia.

_{*Left 2 images from tk_tan from Pixabay and caberos on FavPNG}