Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry provided policy recommendations to the West Java Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) as it drafts a regional regulation on environmental protection and management, emphasizing the critical role of forest conservation in strengthening environmental resilience and supporting sustainable development.
The consultation was held at the Ministry of Forestry headquarters in Jakarta on Thursday, where Vice Minister of Forestry Rohmat Marzuki met with members of the West Java DPRD’s Special Committee responsible for preparing the Regional Regulation (Raperda) on Environmental Protection and Management.
Rohmat welcomed the initiative by the West Java Provincial Government and DPRD to consolidate several existing environmental regulations into a more comprehensive and integrated legal framework.
He stressed that forestry should become a central component of the proposed regulation, as forest ecosystems are closely linked to environmental carrying capacity, climate change mitigation, flood and landslide prevention, drought resilience, and water availability and quality.
“West Java has approximately 817,000 hectares of forest, representing only about 23 percent of its total land area. This condition requires serious attention. Existing forest areas must be preserved and managed sustainably to strengthen the province’s environmental carrying capacity for the benefit of its communities,” Rohmat said.
The vice minister also encouraged the provincial government to incorporate watershed management, biodiversity conservation, forest park management, and the rehabilitation of degraded land into the regulation.
He said the Ministry of Forestry is ready to strengthen cooperation with the West Java Provincial Government through its watershed management units and forest nurseries.
“Land rehabilitation should not be limited to forest areas. Critical land outside forest boundaries, which falls under the authority of local governments, also requires restoration,” he said.
Beyond strengthening environmental protection, Rohmat noted that the proposed regulation could facilitate the development of various green financing mechanisms, including payment for ecosystem services, carbon financing, environmental restoration funds, and green budgeting through the provincial budget.
According to the ministry, these financing instruments could support long-term ecosystem restoration, forest conservation, and sustainable environmental management across West Java.
Rohmat expressed hope that the drafting of the regional regulation would reinforce cooperation between the central and provincial governments while ensuring that West Java’s forests and natural environment continue to provide lasting ecological, social, and economic benefits.
“The ultimate goal is to protect West Java’s forests and environment while ensuring that sustainable management delivers long-term benefits for local communities,” he said. (*)
