AFI Plants Tree Seedlings in KRUS

Samarinda, 11/28/12. Governor of East Kalimantan, DR.H. Awang Faroek Ishak reads the Minister of Forestry's remarks at the event commemorating Planting Day Indonesian Trees (HMPI) throughout Indonesia and National Planting Month (BMN).

AFI (Awang Faroek Ishak) together with the East Kalimantan Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (FKPD), SKPD ranks within the Provincial Government, TNI and Polri, Samarinda City Government, women's organizations, private agencies, students (Samarinda Forestry Vocational School) and students and the community planted 4,000 tree seedlings in the Unmul Samarinda Botanical Gardens (KRUS) area, Wednesday (28/11).

In a written greeting from the Minister of Forestry, Zulkifli Hasan, which was read by the Governor, said that forests play a role in supporting life and at the same time providing timber forest products, non-timber forest products (NTFPs), food needs, water availability, energy sources and other environmental services including producing oxygen, recreation and biodiversity conservation.

"Forests must continue to be conserved. The government has made various efforts to reduce deforestation, including forest and land rehabilitation, a movement to plant one billion trees, development of community forests, community plantation forests and law enforcement efforts as well as the existence of regional policies that support the culture of planting," said Awang Faroek.

Awang added that East Kalimantan has a high commitment to preserving forests in the region. The "Kaltim Green" movement with the One Man Five Trees (Omfit) program or "One Person Planting Five Trees" has been implemented several years ago, and as of November 2012 44,518,085 trees have been planted.

"With Kaltim Green we are determined to support the One Billion Tree Planting Movement that has been launched by the President, and at the same time we want to re-green East Kalimantan which was once green by optimizing joint efforts and support from the community and the business world," he explained.

Awang said that planting 4,000 tree seedlings (Meranti, Kapur, Gaharu, Ironwood, Cinnamon, Langsat and Mangosteen) on three hectares of the KRUS area, will make KRUS a botanical garden that Samarinda and East Kalimantan can be proud of. Moreover, he continued, in the KRUS area a zoo (Kaltim Zoo) will also be built as a center for education, conservation and recreation in East Kalimantan.

"Today we chose KRUS because this is one of the botanical gardens in Indonesia which can be used as an ecotourism tourist destination. Let's enrich the biodiversity in KRUS, and it is not impossible that KRUS will match the Bogor Botanical Gardens which have been built hundreds of years ago," quoted from www.kaltimprov.go.id

HMPI and BMN with the theme "Our Forests Encourage the Realization of a Green Indonesia", according to him, are very in line with environmentally-oriented development towards a Green East Kalimantan and a resurgent East Kalimantan by 2013. "I hope the Omfit program can be implemented and realized well in East Kalimantan, because it is very important and as a form of concern for the future of our young generation," he hoped.

After planting Agarwood tree seedlings, the Governor together with Military Commander VI Mulawarman Major General TNI Dicky Wainal Usman, Danrem 091/ASN Brgijen TNI Gadang Pambudi and Deputy Governor Farid Wadjdy inspected the Bengkirai tree which he planted six years ago and is growing well in one of the KRUS areas about 2 km from the location using a four-wheeled vehicle.

Meanwhile, the Governor of East Kalimantan together with Military Commander VI Mulawarman visited the location of the tree seedlings planted by the Governor of East Kalimantan, DR.H. Awang Faroek Ishak six years ago in the KRUS area, the Secretary of the East Kalimantan Bappeda, Ir.H. Nazrin, M.Si together with Mrs and staff planted meranti tree seedlings, gaharu and other local tree species in locations determined by the committee, specifically within the Agency within the East Kalimantan Provincial Government, adjacent to the scope of the East Kalimantan Provincial Government Service. The tree planting was also attended by the relevant SKPD as well as the Samarinda Forestry Vocational School (SMK) near the planting location. Secretary of the Katim Bappeda, Ir.H.Nazrin, M.Si with Mrs.

According to written remarks from the Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, Zulkifli Hasan, the theme of "Indonesian Tree Planting Day and National Planting Month" for 2012 is "City Forests Encourage the Realization of a Green Indonesia". The choice of this theme is intended to show that Indonesia has a high commitment and consistent program in implementing forest and land rehabilitation efforts and environmental conservation including biodiversity.

Apart from that, we also want to show that forest resources are one of the drivers of the nation's economy, providing employment opportunities for the people, alleviating poverty and at the same time being able to produce environmentally friendly products.

This is in line with the commitment of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr. Soesilo Bambang Yudhoyono, regarding Indonesia's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26% or 46% with the help of the international community by 2020.

To restore the function of forests that have been damaged, we have tried to suppress the rate of forest degradation and deforestation through forest and land rehabilitation programs, planting 1 billion trees for the world, development of Community Plantation Forests and Community Forests, Community Forests, Village Forests, law enforcement efforts, as well as timber legality verification standards. Thank God, with the perseverance and support of all the nation's children, we are able to reduce the rate of deforestation from almost 2.5 million ha per year, to less than 500 thousand ha per year.

The Minister of Forestry advised that in the future the target planting locations in forest areas will be directed at Conservation Forests, Protected Forests and Production Forests. Outside forest areas, planting targets are prioritized in rural areas (rura/-area), and the development of Community Forests, and no less important is planting in urban areas (urban-areas) for environmental greening and development of City Forests.

The existence of Green Open Space (RTH) is very strategically linked to the concept of city development that meets economic, social and environmental aspects. Ideally, green open space in urban areas should be at least 30% of the Regency/City area and City Forest area should be at least 10% of the Regency/City area which is part of the green open space. For this reason, its development is very important to maintain the harmony and balance of the urban ecosystem.

In the last ten years, the Indonesian Minister of Forestry, Zulkifli Hasan, has observed that public awareness of the importance of urban forests continues to increase. The existence of urban forests in the midst of urban communities is felt, especially by urban communities in big cities. This is indicated by the support of Regency/City Government policies to build and develop City Forests in green open spaces.

On this auspicious occasion I need to convey that the public's interest in planting trees is very high. I can conclude that planting trees has become a culture in society and has become a tool to unify the Indonesian nation. As Minister of Forestry, I feel that there is no day without planting trees. The formation of a community condition like this certainly cannot be separated from your central role as Governor and Regent/Mayor as well as the support from all elements of society in the region. For this reason, I would like to invite all of us to preserve this culture of planting in order to ensure development in order to achieve our common goal, namely the realization of a green Indonesia.

Nationally, the realization of the tree planting movement over the last three years has exceeded the target of planting a minimum of one billion trees every year. The One Billion Tree Planting Movement in 2010 planted 1.3 billion trees (130%) and in 2011 planted 1.5 billion trees (150%). One Billion Tree Planting Movement in 2012 until the end of October 2012, the realization of planting had reached 732 million trees (70%). With this level of achievement, and carried out in the right season, the great support of the Governor, Regent and Mayor, as well as the high level of public interest and enthusiasm, the target of planting a minimum of 1 billion trees in the rainy season will be achieved and God willing, the target can be exceeded.

I realize that achieving the target of one billion trees cannot be done by the Ministry of Forestry alone. Therefore, we hope that all Governors, Regents/Mayors, along with the DPRD, will mobilize the potential of BUMN/BUMD/BUMS, Universities, Schools, Scouts, NGOs to play a more active role in mobilizing their staff and the community to carry out tree planting movements in their respective areas.

For the benefit of the national mass planting movement, the Ministry of Forestry provides facilities for the construction of People's Seed Gardens and Permanent Nurseries in all districts/cities to supply the needs of plant/tree seeds of good quality and in large quantities that are affordable to communities throughout Indonesia.

On this auspicious occasion, I once again would like to express my thanks and high appreciation to all parties who care about the success of the One Billion Tree Planting Movement at the Central, Provincial and Regency/City levels. May God Almighty always give His grace and guidance to our efforts. Said the Minister of Forestry in his written remarks read by the Governor of East Kalimantan, DR.H. Awang Faroek Ishak.

Phooto : Governor of East Kalimantan Dr H Awang Faroek Ishak reads the speech of the Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, Zulkifli Hasan at the commemoration of Indonesian Tree Planting Day (HMPI) throughout Indonesia and National Planting Month (BMN) in 2012, in the Unmul Samarinda Botanical Garden area. Meanwhile, in a separate place, the Secretary of the East Kalimantan Bappeda, Ir.H. Nazrin, M.Si and Mrs. planted Meranti trees in the location determined by the committee in the Unmul Samarinda Botanical Garden area. Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the East Kalimantan Dharma Wanita, Mrs. Amalia Faroek together with members of the East Kalimantan Dharma Wanita planted tree seedlings in the Unmul Samarinda Botanical Garden area near the children's play area as a recreation area. (Public Relations of the East Kalimantan Bappeda/Sukandar, S.Sos).