Indonesian national park cleared for illegal oil palm

25.09.2018

More than 1,000 hectares of one of Indonesia’s most important national parks has been encroached upon by illegal palm oil plantations, according to an investigation.

The investigation by Indonesia’s Independent Forest Monitoring Network (JPIK) found that the plantations in Sebangau National Park had been established by a group that includes several high-ranking government officials as its members.

Sebangau is composed principally of carbon-rich peat forests and is home to thousands of critically endangered Bornean orangutans.

JPIK Campaigner Dhio Teguh Ferdyan said in a statement: “Instead of being defended, the national park management unit closest to the centre of provincial government in Palangkaraya – which, in theory, should be able to protect its integrity – is in reality allowing encroachment, leading to the destruction of tropical peat swamp forest.”

Click here to view the report.

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