Banda Aceh-LintasGayo.co: Forest damage or deforestation due to poor forestry governance and illegal activities in Aceh over the past 9 years has reached more than 290 thousand hectares. This means that the rate of deforestation in Aceh has reached 32 thousand hectares per year or 1% per year. This was conveyed by Agung from the GIS section of the Aceh Natural Forest and Environment Foundation (HAkA) at a breaking of the fast event and media briefing in Banda Aceh on June 27, 2016.

The HAkA Foundation noted that the area of ​​Aceh's forests in 2006 was 3.34 million hectares, but now only 3.050 million hectares remain.

Data from the Governor Climate and Forest (GCF) task force document for the period 2006 to 2009 alone, Aceh lost more than 160 thousand hectares. Where the forest area of ​​Aceh in 2006 reached 3.34, decreased to 3.18 million hectares in 2009. In that period the rate of forest destruction in Aceh reached 32 thousand hectares.

Data from Forest Watch Indonesia, in the period 2009-2013, deforestation in Aceh reached more than 127 thousand hectares with a rate of forest destruction reaching 31.8 thousand per year. The forest area of ​​Aceh in 2009 reached 3.154 million hectares, decreased to 3.027 million hectares.

While forest destruction in the period 2014 and 2015 was around 21,056 hectares. Where the forest area of ​​Aceh in 2014 reached 3.071 million hectares and decreased to 3.050 million hectares in 2015. This calculation shows that 54% of Aceh's land is still covered by natural forest.

The largest forest damage during that period was in East Aceh Regency reaching 4,431 hectares, South Aceh Regency reaching 3,061 hectares, North Aceh Regency 1,771 hectares, Subulussalam City 1,475 hectares, and Gayo Lues Regency reaching 1,401 hectares.

Likewise, the Leuser Ecosystem Area (KEL) has also experienced a decline due to forest concessions being converted into plantations and other destructive practices. The HAkA Foundation found around 200 thousand hectares of natural forest cover in Other Use Areas (APL). Of that area, 69 thousand hectares of natural forest are in the Leuser Ecosystem Area. The area of ​​natural forest cover in KEL as of May 2016 reached 1.8 million hectares or around 79 percent of the total KEL area.

On that occasion, several notes on the Gunung Leuser National Park (TNGL) and the Leuser Ecosystem Area (KEL) were also discussed, delivered by speaker Mawardi Ismail S.H. M.Hum as an academic, Mawardi said that KEL was declared as a National Strategic Area (KSN) in PP 26 of 2008 but unfortunately Qanun Aceh No. 19 of 2013 does not include KEL as a KSN. Currently, what also needs to be considered together is the Regency/City RTRW around KEL and the KSN KEL Spatial Plan.

Mawardi further said that TNGL is part of KEL. KEL should not be something scary because KEL itself consists of various functions of forest areas and Other Use Areas (APL). When a disaster occurs, people blame the forest and the environment that has been damaged. However, at other times, the same person said that development could not be carried out because it was blocked by protected areas.

Sources, Other Sources