President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday asked governors, district heads and mayors not to issue new permits to manage rainforests and peatlands until the government finishes putting them in order.
“I have decided to suspend the issuance of new permits to manage primary forests and peatlands while at the same time improving the management of forests and peatlands under presidential instruction number 10 of 2011. Let’s implement it. I instruct governors, district heads and mayors to implement it. Don’t issue new permits for the management of primary forests and peatlands until we finish putting them in order,” he said at a function to mark the World Environment Day at the State Palace here on Tuesday.
On May 20, 2011, President Yudhoyono signed a two-year moratorium on the granting of new permits to clear rainforests and peatlands.
The moratorium applies to 64.2 million hectares of primary natural forests and peatlands. The presidential instruction also suspends all applications which have already secured permits in principle from the Forestry Ministry and the use of forested areas which has obtained permits as well as restoration of ecosystem.
In his speech, the head of state also asked the regional heads to be fully responsible for environment conservation efforts.
“The government, the state and all of us have adopted a number of policies and taken concrete action to preserve forests,” he said.
