Press Release: Struggle to Reclaim the Lost Forest - BPKEL Continue Clearing Illegal Plantations from Protected Areas
Since beginning of 2009 BPKEL have managed to revoked 24 illegal plantation permits operating within protected areas, amounting to 3700 hectares of planted palm oil plantations and thousands more hectare or forest that has been cleared but not yet planted.
As recently as last week, the restoration work continues with its bold move to remove illegal palm oil plantations within the boundary of protected forest of Leuser Ecosystem in Aceh Tamiang. The plantation area removed last week amounted to 460 hectares previously owned by two companies; PT. BS (120 hectares) and a businessman from North Sumatra with initial T (340 hectares).
The final restoration efforts of these two plantations finally take place after both of the owners voluntarily surrender their concession. It is a long process; the whole procedure of being persuasive and sending warning letter stretch throughout one good year until the owners finally gave in. This success could only come about with massive support given by Aceh Tamiang Police Force as well as community support.
Termination of these illegal activities is conducted with tremendous support from the local community, local NGO's such as Lembaga Bina Arsitektur Madani (Lebam) and Tamiang Peduli (TAPE), as well as four villages located around these illegal plantations; Kampong Pante Cempa, Pengidam, Bengkelang and Batu Bedulang - who send out 20 volunteer to cut down the palm oil.
Conversation continues with the remaining of 9 large scale illegal plantation owners, heading towards the closure of the plantations and rehabilitation of natural forest in the area.
http://leuserecosystem.org/en/news/recent-news/317-press-release-struggle-to-reclaim-the-lost-forest-bpkel-continue-clearing-illegal-plantations-from-protected-areas.html
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