ProFauna: Illegal Logging in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park Must Stop

Malang - ProFauna Indonesia urges the government to stop the illegal logging in the area of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) for the destruction effect on the park's ecosystem.

"The illegal logging must threat the wildlife like the rare Javan langur (Trachipithecus auratus) and also the long-tailed macaques (Macaca Fascicularis) that inhabit the park which is a conservation area," Chairman of ProFauna Indonesia, Rosek Nursahid, told Tuesday.

According to Nursahid, the illegal logging in the park gets more rampant, especially in the Jemplang area heading to Ranupane Lake. Loggers do not target the trees by the roads. Instead, they pick those on the path used by the locals to shortcut to Senduro District, Lumajang Regency.

The illicit illegal logging in the park which should have conservation and protection function shows the lack of law enforcement and forest patrol by the government, Nursahid added.

So far, visitors from Malang Regency area have been monitored from the post guard in the Trisula Waterfall. The monitoring is as simply as charging entrance tickets to the park visitors.

There is even no guard in the entrance gate at the Jemplang area, which is also the transit spot for tourists before the head to the Bromo sea sand. "We suggest that the management of the park locate some guards at the Jemplang area to prevent loggers and quick respond any illegal activity jeopardizing the park ecosystem," Nursahid said.

Not only are inhabited by some protected wildlife, the park also becomes the haven for 41 Javan langurs and four deer that have been released back to the wild in 2006. "We estimate the population of those wildlife grow." he added.

Besides urging the government to stop the illegal logging on the park, ProFauna also criticizes the park condition which is full of rubbish and plastic wastes. These must damage the ecosystem of the park and deface the park's natural beauty.

According to the Law Number 41 year 1999 concerning the Forestry articles 50 and 78, forest encroachment and illegal logging are forbidden and offenders are liable to a maximum of 10 year prison term and 5 billion Indonesia Rupiah fine.

While according to the Law Number 5 year 1990 concerning the Conservation of the Natural Resources and the Ecosystem article 33, it is mentioned that anyone is forbidden to perform any acivity against the function of the usage zone and other zones of the national park. Offenders are liable to a one year prison term and 50 million Indonesia Rupiah fine.

Sumber: ANTARA News Jawa Timur