Enviro News Asia, Jambi — A joint law enforcement operation took place to restore the integrity of a protected conservation area following the discovery of extensive illegal oil palm cultivation. The operation aimed to stop forest encroachment, recover degraded land, and reinforce state authority over conservation forests.
The Forestry Law Enforcement Agency for Sumatra, together with the Berbak Sembilang National Park Authority, conducted the operation with support from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the National Police (Polri), and local government institutions. The joint team acted against unauthorized land use that violated national forestry regulations.
The operation occurred in Jambi Province, specifically within the Sungai Rambut Resort area of Berbak Sembilang National Park, administratively located in Berbak Sub-district, East Tanjung Jabung Regency. Authorities identified the site as one of the areas most affected by forest encroachment over the past two years.
The enforcement action took place over seven consecutive days, from 4 to 10 December 2025. During this period, officers dismantled and destroyed illegal oil palm plantations covering approximately 98.8 hectares inside the conservation zone.
A total of 51 personnel participated in the field operation, representing the national park authority, forestry law enforcement officers, police, military units, district and village administrations, and Community-Based Forest Ranger Partners. The multi-agency collaboration ensured operational security, effectiveness, and compliance with conservation management standards.
The joint team carried out the destruction process using chainsaws, machetes, harvesting tools, and plant-drying applications to permanently disable oil palm trees aged between one and two years. Officers applied these methods to prevent replanting and further land conversion within the peatland ecosystem.
Hari Novianto, Head of the Forestry Law Enforcement Agency for Sumatra, stated that the operation demonstrated strong inter-agency coordination in safeguarding forest areas in Jambi Province. He instructed investigators to further develop the case to identify additional actors, including financiers involved in illegal land transactions and forest encroachment within the national park. Investigators have previously named two suspects in connection with illegal activities at the site, and the cases remain under investigation.
Beth Venri, Commander of the Jambi Brigade Unit, emphasized that the measured destruction sent a clear warning that the state would not tolerate environmental degradation driven by private interests. He underlined the ecological importance of Berbak Sembilang National Park as one of Sumatra’s most critical peat swamp ecosystems and a key habitat for protected wildlife species. According to him, illegal oil palm expansion not only damages ecosystem structures but also increases the risk of uncontrolled forest and land fires in peat areas.
Authorities based the enforcement action on Forestry Law No. 41 of 1999, as amended by Law No. 6 of 2023, which strictly prohibits unauthorized use of forest areas. Violators face criminal penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines of up to IDR 7.5 billion. Illegal plantation activities within forest zones also constitute violations of Law No. 18 of 2013 on the Prevention and Eradication of Forest Destruction. (*)
