Protected Areas Used to Expand Indonesian Oil Palm Plantations

Source: Copyright 2008, Antara
Date: May 12, 2008
http://au.biz.yahoo.com/080512/17/1ql4y.html/

The expansion of oil palm plantations in the regency of Kapuas
Hulu in Indonesia's West Kalimantan has crossed the border
into protected forests, the semi official news agency Antara
reported.

Expansion has entered the 200,000 hectare Heart Of Borneo,
which has been agreed to be preserved between three
neighboring countries Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, said
Haryono, the coordinator for forest Communication Issue of the
World Wide Fund for Nature in West Kalimantan.

Nine subsidiaries of the Sinar Mas Group are believed to be
involved in clearing 160,000 hectares of forests bordering the
Betung Karihun National Park, Haryono said.

Kapuas Hulu has 1.63 million hectares of protected forests and
National Parks.

By the end of 2007, West Kalimantan has 400,000 hectares of
planted oil palm plantations said.