Monday, June 13, 2011
Greenpeace Political Tool
The Greenpeace report on global toy companies and Indonesian packaging material demonstrates little understanding of Indonesia’s strict forest protection laws and about our industry’s commitment to preserving this priceless natural resource. Government law about wood legality is both clear and enforced. Companies ignore the law at the risk of prosecution – and losing their plantation concessions.
To address the environmental, social and economic development needs of Indonesia, the government has developed a land use plan that allocates which area is for conservation and production purposes. Understanding that natural forest cannot sustainably supply the need of the timber based industry, including the pulp and paper industry, the government has allocated around 5% of Indonesia’s landmass for the forest plantation industry on degraded forest and bare land.
In the development of industrial plantation forest, the remaining tree residue has to be cleared. Industry use of this tree residue is legally allowed and is the government’s preferred disposal method rather than burning it or letting it to rot on the ground. It is irresponsible and disingenuous for Greenpeace to tell the public that the presence of mixed tropical hardwood automatically imply illegal or unsustainable paper product. To further assume that any paper product that contains mixed tropical wood and acacia fiber is from Indonesia alone is also false, many developing nations in Asia, South America and Africa, which are in the process of developing their plantation forestry, also produced this type of fiber.
We are disappointed of Greenpeace’s tactics to exploit the stereotype of backwoods loggers in developing nations who cleared entire forests with no regard for the environmental impact. The truth is Indonesian forestry practices are far more sophisticated. Our industry is committed to the creation of clearly defined, sustainable plantations where we sow and harvest rapidly renewable fiber. We are proud that Indonesian plantations produce full-grown trees in just six years while companies in many other nations must wait a lifetime for trees to reach maturity. We are committed to protecting and managing our forest sustainably.
Allegations of anything less are an affront to our industry and the millions of people in Indonesia who depend on it for their livelihoods.
Authored by H.M. Mansur, Chairman
Indonesian Pulp & Paper Association
Published with permission from original
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