Enviro News Asia, Jakarta— Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), through its Research Center for Ecology and Ethnobiology (PREE BRIN), has signed a research cooperation agreement with the Indonesian Forest Concessionaires Association (APHI) to improve the classification system for industrial roundwood assortments.
The collaboration aims to support revisions to Indonesia’s National Standards (SNI), improve forest product administration, and refine Non-Tax State Revenue (PNBP) policies in the forestry sector.
The research will focus on the diameter classification of roundwood sourced from industrial plantation forests, specifically for chip and pulp production.
Findings are expected to provide scientific input for updating SNI 7533.1.2.2010 and SNI 8911.2.2020, addressing inconsistencies in current diameter measurements that do not yet consider the type of receiving industry.
Asep Hidayat, Head of PREE BRIN, emphasized the importance of bridging research and policy to create a more adaptive and sustainable forest governance framework.
“We, as researchers, serve as a bridge between policy and scientific evidence. This initiative is about building forestry governance that is scientifically sound, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable,” he stated.
APHI Vice Chairman Soewarso highlighted the urgency of revising wood assortment policies, especially following the enactment of Government Regulation No. 36/2024, which ties PNBP to national standards.
“We hope this research will offer a solid academic basis to update roundwood classification policies, making them more accurate and beneficial for forestry industry efficiency,” he said.
The initiative is expected to yield not only reliable quantitative data but also actionable recommendations that can be implemented by licensed forest utilization business permit holders (PBPH) without compromising sustainability principles.
It aligns with national environmental goals by ensuring that plantation-based forestry industries operate within sustainable frameworks.
By improving the timber classification system, the initiative supports more efficient use of forest resources while optimizing economic benefits and maintaining ecological balance. (*)
