Insect-pests - Biology East Borneo

6 The State of the Forest and Plantation Trends
2.4. Plantation trends – areas and
species
Indonesia has a long plantation history, starting with
teak (Tectona grandis) cultivation. Believed to have
been introduced to Java some 400 - 600 years ago
(Phengklai et al. 1993), teak has been planted
systematically since the 1870s and in 1995 there were
about 1 million ha of well-managed plantations, in Java
and the adjacent island of Madura (Perum Perhutani
1995). Table 2.2 shows the areas of major tree species
planted in Java managed by the Government-owned
company, Perum Perhutani.
Table 2.2. Forest plantations in Java in 1995
Species
Area (ha)
Tectona grandis 1 066 532
Pinus merkusii 583 974
Agathis dammara 66 013
Swietenia macrophylla 54 383
Dalbergia latifolia 25 502
Melaleuca cajuputi 11 848
Paraserianthes falcataria 6 064
Schleichera oleosa 3 732
Rhizophora spp. 49 662
Others 89 063
Total 1 956 775
Source: Perum Perhutani (1995)
Pine (Pinus merkusii) plantations comprise the second
largest area, about 0.6 million ha, after teak. Native to the
northern part of Sumatra, this species is primarily utilised
for resin tapping in Java and yields a general-purpose
timber, although it was originally planted for pulpwood
production. Agathis dammara is also tapped for resin.
Melaleuca cajuputi is planted for extraction of essential
oil from the leaves and Schleichera oleosa for cultivation
of lac. There is currently an expansion of Paraserianthes
falcataria plantations by smallholders throughout Java.
Among the major plantation species, only Melaleuca
cajuputi and the mangroves Rhizophora spp. are strictly
native to Java. Teak (Tectona grandis), mahogany
(Swietenia macrophylla) and rosewood (Dalbergia
latifolia) are exotic to Indonesia, although teak is
naturalised. Other species have been introduced to Java
from other parts of Indonesia where they occur naturally.
Plantation forestry in the outer islands began in the 1970s,
with attempts to afforest the extensive Imperata
cylindrica grasslands, particularly in Sumatra and
Kalimantan. Opening up of HPH to foreign investors in
1967, with the issuance of Foreign Investment Law (UU
PMA) in forestry sector, accelerated the expansion of
plantations. By 1989, 565 units of HPH holders operated
in about 58 million ha of forest land (MoF 1993: Fact Sheet
No. 12). Apart from rehabilitation planting carried out by
these companies in the logged areas, over 7 million ha
have been allotted (Table 2.3), to about 100 companies for
raising HTI. About 67% of the allotted HTI area is for
pulpwood production, 23% for sawlog production and
10% for transmigration settlements (Table 2.4). The area
allotted to individual companies ranges from about 4000
ha to 300 000 ha.
In the outer islands, over 60% of the geographical
area consists of ‘forest land’. Forest land is land that
has been legally defined as forest land and is not
synonymous with ‘land under forest cover’ for which
there are no reliable data. Of the forest land, nearly
7% has been allotted for HTI and by 1998-99 about
22% of the allotted area (about 1.6 million ha) has
been utilised by the concessionaires (Table 2.3). It is
Table 2.3. Industrial forest plantations (HTI) in the outer islands of Indonesia
Region
Geographical
area (ha)
Forest
area (ha)
Area allotted
for HTI (ha)
Area planted up
to 98-99 (ha)
Sumatra 47 050 873 23 877 500 2 525 486 888 354
Kalimantan 54 824 700 35 745 200 3 129 781 802 505
Sulawesi 19 227 076 11 473 400 187 146 27 931
Irian Jaya 41 066 000 30 611 800 1 389 200 0
Nusa Tenggara 6 744 235 2 732 400 55 074 5 945
Moluccas 8 572 800 4 201 600 74 568 33 264
Total 178 485 684 108 641 900 7 361 255 1 757 999
Source: Statistik Pengusahaan Hutan 1998/1999, Dirjen Pengusahaan Hutan Produksi, Dephutbun (1999); Geographical area and
forest area from MoFEC (1999); HTI area and planted area from Dit. Bina Pengusahaan Hutan, MoFEC