Combating Illegal Logging / Fires

Illegal logging is the single biggest threat to Sumatra's forest resources. If left unchecked, Sumatra would eventually be stripped of its rainforests, causing irreversible damage to the environment and the people of Indonesia. Apart from APRIL’s own unceasing efforts to stop illegal logging in our concessions and to guard the company’s fibre supply against illegitimate sources, APRIL actively participates in multi-stakeholder initiatives against illegal logging.

Fire management is also an integral part of best management practices for fibre plantations since the threat to our plantations and conservation areas from fire is present at specific times of the year.  During annual dry periods, local farmers use “slash-and-burn” techniques to clear forest and shrub lands for conversion to agricultural crops such. These “slash-and-burn” methods are the primary cause of smoke and haze which periodically affects the Southeast Asian region.

APRIL Indonesia implemented a “No-Burn” policy in 1994. We use a combination of manual and mechanical methods for preparing our land for replanting that ensures we do not contribute to seasonal smoke and haze and are able to do tree planting every day of the year.  Since 1999, the Integrated Farming System under our Community Development Programme has taught village vegetable farmers natural mulching techniques that do not require fire use.

In 2009, we initiated community-level teams known as “Community Cares about Fire” to reduce fire incidence and improve the response capabilities to fires.

To mitigate the threat of fires to our fibre plantations and conservation areas, our rapid-response fire-fighting teams are specifically trained and equipped to respond and control fires in the shortest possible time.  We have a targeted goal to contain each fire to less than 10 hectares.  In the past 3 years, we have achieved an 87% to 96% success rate in keeping fires to less than 10 hectares.

To anticipate the occurrence of threatening fires, we collect weather data to calculate daily fire danger ratings and conduct regular ground and aerial patrols for early fire detection.