Enviro News Asia, Kupang – Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni led a nationwide tree-planting event centered in Penkase Oeleta Village, Alak Subdistrict, Kupang City, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), on Tuesday (14/1).
The simultaneous tree planting was carried out across 37 provinces and 120 regencies, involving the planting of 1 million seedlings and saplings with the participation of various stakeholders, including watershed management agencies (DAS).
In East Nusa Tenggara, the planting covered an area of 25 hectares in the Kupang river area, currently classified as a critical zone. The tree species planted included kadimbil or merbau sumba, cashew, mahogany, crystal guava, mango, tamarind, bamboo, and sandalwood.
The total planting area across 37 provinces reached 312,850 hectares, targeting forest and land rehabilitation within forest areas under the regular Forest and Land Rehabilitation (RHL) scheme.
The event was also attended by Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Stella Christie, Deputy Chairman of Commission IV of the House of Representatives Ahmad Yohan, Acting Governor of NTT Andriko Noto Susanto, and governors from across Indonesia via Zoom.
“These trees aim to restore critical lands in support of food, energy, and water security programs, while also reducing the potential for hydrometeorological disasters,” said Dyah Murtiningsih, Director-General of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation, in her report.
Furthermore, the initiative aims to raise public awareness about the importance of forest conservation. The trees and seedlings planted are species that contribute to food, energy, and water sustainability.
Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni remarked that sustainable development is easy to articulate but challenging to implement. “Yet that is our shared goal: development must not stop, but it must be supported by sustainable practices and well-maintained forests,” he said.
He also highlighted President Prabowo Subianto’s commitment to environmental preservation, citing Prabowo’s donation of 20,000 hectares of his land in Takengon, Aceh, to establish an elephant corridor amid threats from development.
The minister emphasized that while development must continue, nature must also be preserved. “There are numerous strategies for achieving sustainable development, such as President Prabowo’s vision of food security, which doesn’t solely rely on clearing forests,” he noted.
Alternative strategies include eliminating deforestation by utilizing food reserve forests, maximizing forest functions, rehabilitating forests through tree planting, and implementing agroforestry practices.
Kludolfus Tuames, Head of the Benain Noelmina Watershed Management Agency (BPDAS), stated that the tree planting in Kupang is part of a broader effort to address 577,639 hectares of critical land in NTT. According to the 2025 RHL plan, 350 hectares of critical land are expected to be rehabilitated with tree planting
