REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAYAPURA -- The district of Jayapura in Papua province lacks adequate forest police to protect over 1.3 million hectares of forest, noted local Forestry Department Chief Nataniel Membri.

"Today, we have only 12 rangers to cover the 1,353,407 hectares of protected forest in Jayapura district, so we need a lot more," Membri stated here on Monday.

He noted that with only 12 forest police, they are unable to control and protect more than 1.3 million hectares of the forest in the district and around Lake Sentani from illegal logging activities.

According to Membri, another obstacle faced is that the district has only three security posts situated at Yokiwa, Boroway, and Nimbontong to maintain vigil on such an extensive area of the forest.

"We need at least 50 more forest rangers to secure the protected forest from irresponsible parties who engage in illegal logging activities," Membri reiterated.

According to data furnished by the local Forestry Department, more than 1.3 million hectares of protected forest in Jayapura district comprises 84 thousand hectares of conservation forest, 62,578 hectares of Nimboran mountain forest, 37,784 hectares of Masoali Demta forest, 38,914 hectares of Waruta forest, 319,293 hectares of Sogber forest, 948 hectares of Sungai Bum forest, 28,489 hectares of Bonggo forest, and 10,463 hectares of Karamor forest, among several others.

"Therefore, we need more rangers to protect these forests and some 15 thousand hectares of Cycloop nature reserve and 60,774 hectares of wildlife reserve," Membri added.

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