ANTAM Plants 125,000 Trees To Grow Community Forests In The Vicinity Of Mining Areas

The ceremony was one of the series of activities to develop community forests in the vicinity of mining areas. The Pandeglang Regency, which covers the Cibaliung, Cimanggu, Cibitung, and Sumur Sub-districts, was one of the location.

In December 7, 2011 a similar activity was initiated in the Bogor Regency, including the Nanggung, Rumpin, and Leuwiliang Sub-districts. The total number of trees to be planted in these areas amounts to 125,000.

In his speech, ANTAM’s Operations Director, Winardi, said,

"The initiative to develop community forests is a manifestation of our care toward improving the quality of the environment. As well the initiative will promote collective development and management of community forests to increase the quality of the ecosystems in the surrounding mining areas."

The trees to be planted in the community-forest program are of the fast-growing species (FGS), whose objective is to augment land covering, to prevent flood and landslide, to conserve biodiversity and to increase carbon absorption to prevent impact from climate-change. As well, the initiative aims to support the development of food and water sustainability in the area.

In the program ANTAM cooperates with Perum Perhutani to develop the community forests, including the maintainance for 5 to 6 years. ANTAM and Perhutani will also assist the marketing of the crops during the post-harvest period. The program also supports the government’s One Billion Tree Planting Program.