Biodiversity Monitoring in the Conservation Area of PT ANTAM Tbk West Kalimantan Bauxite Mining Business Unit

In implementing the Good Mining Practice (GMP) commitment, PT ANTAM Tbk West Kalimantan Bauxite Mining Business Unit carries out biodiversity protection activities in three areas that have been determined by the Company, including Heterogeneous Forest Area, Nek Bindang Arboretum Area, and Laet Lake Area. The total area of the three conservation areas until 2024 reaches 37.8 Ha. The three areas have different characteristics and are influenced by different natural conditions, so routine efforts are needed to determine the impact of the biodiversity protection program carried out by the West Kalimantan Bauxite Mining Business Unit.

In 2024, the West Kalimantan Bauxite Mining Business Unit conducted a monitoring program to identify and analyze the status of biodiversity in the three areas. In the last four years, there has been a significant increase, one of which is indicated by the flora and fauna biodiversity index. The highest H'flora value was found in the Heterogeneous Forest area, 3.32 in 2024 from the previous value of 3.18 in 2022. In this area, the number of individual trees is more significant than in other locations, which is 826 individuals. In contrast, in other places, the number of individuals found was 242 in the Nek Bindang Arboretum area, and 125 in the Laet Lake Biodiversity area. In addition, the increasing trend can also be influenced by external environmental factors that affect growth competition in each area. The higher the level of diversity of an area, the greater the stability of the community in that area.

  
 _{Chart 1: Trends in the biodiversity index of flora and fauna in the West Kalimantan Bauxite Mining Business Unit conservation area over the past four years.}
 

_{Chart 2:  Trends in the number of individual trees in the West Kalimantan Bauxite Mining Business Unit conservation area}

Meanwhile, the biodiversity index for fauna that is observed and compared is the bird diversity index. The Heterogeneous Forest Area has the highest bird diversity index compared to other areas, which is 3.43. In 2024, there was an increase in the number of individual birds throughout the area, namely 169 individuals in the heterogeneous forest area, 141 individuals in the Nek Bindang Arboretum area, and 125 individuals in the Laet Lake Biodiversity Area. In 2024, a new migratory bird species was discovered in the heterogeneous forest area, namely the oyster eagle (Pandion haleaetus).

Three conservation areas of the West Kalimantan Bauxite Mining Business Unit also contribute to carbon absorption from various flora types. The highest carbon absorption value comes from the Nek Bindang Arboretum location of 1,205.67 tons/ha, the Laet Lake Biodiversity Area of 715.10 tons/ha, and the Heterogeneous Forest Area of 196.31 tons/Ha. This is related to the status of the conservation area in the Nek Bindang Arboretum, which is still included in the Protected Forest area, so there are regulations governing management.

From  the results of the 2024 Biodiversity monitoring on three conservation area locations, recommend more intensive conservation efforts for the flora and fauna species in the area. The fauna species that need conservation efforts because they are included as endangered flora and fauna (IUCN/CITES) are as follows.

The West Kalimantan Bauxite Mining Business Unit expected that the best practice efforts that have been made can continue to be maintained and improved. Because of its biodiversity protection policy, the West Kalimantan Bauxite Mining Business Unit will continue to support conservation areas to preserve the flora and fauna.