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Story Publication logo May 18, 2022

Herman Johannes Park in the Brink of Destruction Due To Looting (bahasa Indonesia)

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A man measures and examines plants using a stick while squatting in the rainforest.
English

The Herman Johannes Forest Park has an area of 1,900 hectares. It is located in 12 villages and four...

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This story excerpt was translated from bahasa Indonesia. The original graphic was printed on Media Indonesia. Our Rainforest Journalism Fund website is available in English, Spanish, bahasa Indonesia, French, and Portuguese.


The Amarasi Forest, which is now known as the Herman Johannes Grand Forest Park, has become the target of looting. Locals clear it for fields, take logs, cut down trees, and graze illegally. The Park as a place to learn, research, and preserve and observe flora and fauna is on the verge of collapse.

There are several reasons why this site, which is stretched along Amarasi and South Amarasi sub-districts, was looted. One of them is that the local communities are often excluded from forest protection and restoration efforts. Apart from that, the residents don't believe that the Park area is protected because there are no guards.


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In order to save the park, a committee of influential villagers was formed. They were tasked with protecting the forest from illegal logging, patrolling the forest, and reforesting. At this time, however, the members of the institution are nowhere to be seen on their rounds. In fact, the committee's name was not much as heard again after its initial formation.


Graphic by Media Indonesia. Indonesia, 2022.