Blogging for Indonesia Forest Conservation

Source: Tribun Kaltim

Indonesia covering with tropical rain forest. It was the 3 rd largest forest area in the world. In a decade, the Indonesia people began to feel “shortage" of raw materials for building and wood industry because of forest degradation. Rate of forest degradation at this time reached 1.08 million hectares per year while the Government's ability to rehabilitate it, only up to 700 thousand hectares per year. Concluding this, the forest plantations were made to produce logs for the building is not indicate successfully.

Beside for logs supply, there are also forest plantations are made to supply for the pulp industry. The plantations have been owned by a few big private business groups. The groups were characterized by an integrated industry from upstream (forest concessions) to downstream (paper mills). This raw material has been supplied for their own industry, not marketed freely.

At this time, people must pay more expensive to obtain a good quality of wood. Ironic, indeed, the people who owned tropical rain forest are difficult to get wood for their building. One of the evidence is many people choose to use steel materials to replace the roof frame houses. The price of steel materials are in comparison with the price of woods, but the steel's frame is more durable and is not possible termite fell ill.

Forests with timber production function are important. Although, there is also a need to preserve wild animals and plants. Various disasters in Indonesia, such as landslides and floods, could be found and often we saw on TV. The disasters, directly or indirectly, caused by forest trees felling in the upstream. Losses due to natural disasters will always be greater than the cost to treat and protect the forests. Therefore, the existence of a tropical rain forest with sustainable management should be the important needs and Indonesia government priorities.

Awareness to conserve the tropical rain forest has to be owned by Indonesia people, including business people in the forestry sector and government officials. The success of this action is highly dependent on awareness and willingness of the stakeholder or the parties. If the community has been aware of the forest conservation, help and support will be easily given for the government team who fights illegal logging. A media (social) must promote and encourage a commitment to conserve the tropical rain forest.

The blog is one of the most popular media. Blogging can be an option to generate and encourage people to think and act towards forest conservation. Around early May 2009, the search results with Google Search Engine, blogs belonging to the Indonesia environmental activist is 5,940 search results. Of course, it would be more people care about the environment and, then, be a blog publisher. However, the environmental activists who tech-savvy have to continue sounding the forests conservation issues using their blogs.

Great expectations are addressed to the young generation, most of them are internet tech-savvy and blogging experts. They know how to promote the blog posts using Digg, Stumble Upon, Twitter, etc. Their young souls, are still easy to encourage in the environment movement in Indonesia. In another word, we have great strength that can move to change the dream into the real.

Here we are, the tropical rain forest conservation through blogging!

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