Minister Siti: Canal Blocking Effective in Preventing Forest Fire

TEMPO.CO, Palangkaraya - Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya said that canal blockings have been effective in preventing forest fire in peat lands.

“I think the canal blocking approach was effective. Back in 2015, 16,000 hecatares of this area [Sebangau National Park] was burned down,” Siti said when inspecting canal blockings in the Sebangau National Park in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, on Saturday, May 13, 2017.

According to Siti, the construction of canal blockings in the Sebangau National Park is similar to that in other areas. The Sebangau National Park was set up to protect and preserve peat lands and biodiversity.

“Therefore, we’re planting trees here [in Sebangau National Park] on a 9,626-hectare land, and building as many as 1,318 canal blockings,” Siti explained.

The total size of the Sebangau National Park is currently 4,896 hectares located in three regencies, namely Katingan, Pulang Pisau and Palangkaraya. The orangutan population in the national park in 2007 is 5,400, which increased by 7.8 percent in 2015.

Siti revealed that her visit to the Sebangau National Park with UN Environment Executive Director Erik Solhiem was aimed at providing a comprehensive description for international community related to the national park and peat land management in Indonesia.

“Indonesia has set an example for national park and peat land management for the world,” Siti claimed.

Earlier before, Siti and Mr. Solhiem visited the Center of Orangutan Rehabilitation in Nyaru Menteng, Palangkaraya.

KARANA WW