48% Forest Area in Garut Converted into Agricultural Land
29 September 2016 12:50 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Garut - The Environmental Affairs and Forestry Ministry recorded that roughly 48 percent of protected forest areas around subwatershed upstream of Cimanuk River in Garut have been converted into agricultural land.
The Environmental Affairs and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya said the total area of Cimanuk watershed is 360,000 hectares, whereas the total area of subwatershed upstream of Cimanuk River is 59,970 hectares.
“There are 28,770 hectares or 48% of the entire subwatershed upstream of Cimanuk [River] that have been converted into agricultural land. Whereas 23% of 8,079 hectares of conservation forest have experienced the same,” she said Thursday at Garut Military headquarters.
Therefore, the ministry has suggested replanting deforested 6,400 hectares of protected forest and 3,000 hectares of conservation forest. In addition, it will also build structures for soil and water conservation, such as dams etc.
BISNIS.COM