Sumatra, Biodiversity loss, Pulp & paper, APP, FCP, forest clearing, greenomics, IKPP, pulpwood, pulpwood plantation, Riau Indo Agropalma, Suntara Gaja Pati, timber supplier, Tri Pupajaya,
EoF News (PEKANBARU) — Greenomics Indonesia, an NGO based in Jakarta, this week published a report entitling APP’s artful deception: After pulping its remaining forests, APP positions itself as a conservation leader with new policy showing “how little natural forest and forested peatland will be saved by the New APP Forest Conservation Policy.”
Greenomics said that Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) customers should not claim that their decisions to start doing business again with APP are part of an effort to save the natural forests and forested peatlands of Sumatra that are located in the concessions of APP’s suppliers through the New APP Forest Conservation Policy.
The 36-page report had been discussed and presented to the Ministry of Forestry official, Greenomics said on the publication.
The environmental NGO analyzed the impact of the New APP Forest Conservation Policy on the saving of natural forest and forested peatland in the pulpwood plantation concessions that have not been developed to supply raw materials to APP in the Provinces of Riau, Jambi and South Sumatra, which are the three key provinces in APP’s operations on Sumatra island.
“Technically, we have strong grounds for concluding that there is no natural forest or forested peatland of meaningful extent that has been saved by the New APP Forest Conservation Policy in the concessions of APP's suppliers that have been allocated for the development of pulpwood plantations in Sumatra,” Greenomics said.
On PT Suntara Gaja Pati in Senepis block, Riau provinve, Greenomics said that “ahead of the launch of the new APP Forest Conservation Policy, the natural forest and forested peatland in the concession area of SGP had already been exhausted to supply natural forest fiber to IKPP.”
The organization also concluded that all of forested peatland in concession of Riau Indo Agropalma (RIA) in the province have been completely cleared. “The New APP Forest Conservation Policy has not saved forested peatland in the areas allocated for pulpwood plantation development in the concession.”
While Greenomics also studied current condition in APP’s timber supplier, PT Tri Pupajaya (TPJ), in South Sumatra which supplied more than 950,000 m3 of natural forest fiber to PT IKPP pulp mill during 2011-2012 period.
“TPJ was an important supplier for IKPP during the 2011-2012 period, a time when natural fiber from Riau was becoming scarcer,” the group said.
Despite FCP period is running, Greenomics says, PT IKPP mill “still has a large stock of natural forest logs in its log yards from forested peatland clearing operations from the end of 2012 up to 31 January 2013, the deadline for the moratorium on the clearing of natural forest and forested peatland under the New APP Forest Conservation Policy. “
“The reality is, however, that this is not in accordance with the facts as the New APP Forest Conservation Policy cannot save natural forest and forested peatland in the concessions of APP suppliers that are allocated for pulpwood plantations development in the island of Sumatra.”