March 29, 2026 | 07:20 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Dr. Hatma Suryatmojo, a lecturer at the Faculty of Forestry, Gadjah Mada University (UGM), reminds us about the current condition of Indonesia's forests, which is not in good shape. The widely cited forest area by the government might be misleading if not critically examined. "Administratively it may seem extensive, but not all of it is still forested. The threat of land conversion is very high," he said on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
According to Hatma, the World Forest Day on March 21 should be a serious reflection on the condition of our forests, not just a ceremony. In the midst of the global climate crisis, forests play a vital role as carbon absorbers and guardians of ecosystem balance.
Hatma believes that the pressure on Indonesia's forests is constantly increasing. Officially, the forest area in Indonesia is said to reach 120 million hectares or about 65 percent of the land. However, it does not automatically reflect the actual condition on the ground. Many areas are still categorized as forests, but their vegetation cover has been damaged or even lost.
The biggest pressure on the condition of Indonesia's forests, according to Hatma, comes from land conversion. Infrastructure development, industrial expansion, and economic space requirements make forests the most vulnerable conversion target. "In practice, forests are often positioned as reserve land ready to be released when development requires new space," he said.
The problem becomes more complicated as the speed of forest damage far exceeds restoration efforts. Forest rehabilitation takes a long time, while land clearing can happen quickly. Hatma believes that the government's reforestation efforts have not been able to keep up with the rate of loss, both due to limited resources and technical challenges in the field.
On the other hand, according to Mayong, Hatma's nickname, the low productivity of land also drives the opening of new forests. The ongoing practice of shifting cultivation in several areas accelerates degradation, especially without adequate technological support. As a result, the cycle of forest clearing continues.
Amidst this pressure, indigenous communities actually demonstrate more sustainable forest management practices. Limited and needs-based forest utilization keeps many indigenous forest areas preserved. "This model contrasts with large-scale exploitation occurring in many other regions," said Hatma.
Hatma emphasizes that the government needs to stop the conversion of forests with high ecological value and strengthen law enforcement against illegal activities. Forest rehabilitation should focus on quality, not just the number of trees planted. He highlights the transparency of forestry data. Without consistent definitions and open information, the public will continue to be presented with figures that appear large but do not match the reality on the ground.
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