Sumatra, Lack of governance, Biodiversity loss, Pulp & paper, APRIL, consessions, EoF, illegal loggers, illegal logging, Kampar Peninsula, peat swamp, RAPP,
Pekanbaru, Indonesia (EoF News, May 27, 2005) - New investigations by Eyes on the Forest reveal continued forest destruction in APRIL's concession area. At least 216 hectare of natural peat swamp forest have recently been opened and have brought illegal loggers and squatters to the area.
PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP), a pulp subsidiary of APRIL in Riau, has cleared 216 ha of natural forest in Kampar Peninsula forest block for development of a new road linking APRIL’s pulp mill in Pangkalan Kerinci, Pelalawan District to its planned new port in Tanjung Pal village, Siak District. Most of the cleared area was peat swamp forest.
The new road is 27 kilometer long and 12 meters wide, flanked by 40 meters of road side, canal and opened forests on either side. The rest of road covering the distance between APRIL’s mill to the new port passes through 53 kilometers of APRIL’s Industrial Timber Plantation partners and concession.
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