JAKARTA – Following the announcement by Asia Pulp & Paper that it has stopped all clearance of Indonesian forests, WWF is now calling on its competitor Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) to stop pulping tropical rainforest.
“APRIL is now the single largest converter of natural forest among Indonesia’s pulp producers,” said Nazir Foead, Conservation Director of WWF-Indonesia. “We urge the company to immediately change their unsustainable business model and stop draining our peat soils and converting our forests”.
The Sumatran NGO coalition Eyes on the Forest reported that APRIL has become the Province of Riau’s largest agent of deforestation, cutting at least 140,000 ha of tropical forest, mostly located on peat soils, between 2008 and 2011. APRIL was thus responsible for almost 1/3 of all tropical forest loss in Riau during that period.
APRIL’s public commitments to sustainable and natural forest fiber free operations after 2009 has been greenwashing. APRIL in Riau knowingly pulped natural forest wood from concessions inside areas that were designated for protection according to national regulations. The company’s operations caused serious conflict with local communities especially because of the loss of traditionally owned forests and land, and degradation of natural resources.
Two thirds of the company’s supplying concessions in Riau are located on peat soils whose deforestation, drainage and associated decomposition are leading to constant green house gas emissions.
“Despite being in business for 17 years and having access to concessions covering 10% of Riau’s landmass, the company still relies on pulping tropical forests,” said Nazir Foead. “After their devastating deforestation of Riau in Sumatra, the company now appears to be developing their next epicenter of deforestation on the island of Borneo.”
“WWF calls on APRIL to stop pulping tropical forests, solve social conflicts and restore the forests and peatlands it has destroyed,” said Aditya Bayunanda, GFTN and pulp & paper manager of WWF Indonesia, “and calls on companies to avoid being associated with the business practices of APRIL and its associated companies.”
For more information:
Contact:
Aditya Bayunanda, abayunanda@wwf.or.id, +62-818-265-588
Desma Murni, DMurni@wwf.or.id, +62-811-793-458
The Eyes on the Forest’s report “APRIL: Riau, Sumatra’s Biggest Forest Pulper 2009 to 2012 – questionable legality, social conflicts and global warming” with detailed information on the company’s operations and calls on company and customers can be downloaded at: http://www.eyesontheforest.or.id/attach/EoF%20(20Dec12)%20APRIL%20Riau%20Sumatras%20biggest%20forest%20pulper%202009%20to%202012.pdf
For information on corrupt practices related to the issuing deforestation licenses to companies associated with APRIL, download at: http://www.eyesontheforest.or.id/attach/KLAKH%20%2804May12%29%20Factsheet%20APP%20APRIL%20and%20Corruption_FINAL_20120525080524.pdf
About WWF
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. panda.org/news for latest news and media resources
