Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) Sinar Mas is committed to achieving sustainable forest management, balancing conservation with production aspects through a landscape approach. We work to protect and restore natural forest in our pulpwood suppliers’ concession areas as well as improving forest management.
Following the launch of our first Sustainability Roadmap Vision 2020 (SRV 2020) as our comprehensive strategy for sustainability in 2012, we launched APP Forest Conservation Policy (FCP) in 2013. The FCP is a cornerstone of APP Sustainability Roadmap Vision where we are committed in protecting natural forests, peatland management, social commitments and responsible global supply chain. These four pillars of FCP aim to ensure a deforestation-free supply chain. FCP now has reached its 8th year of implementation and will continue to be one of the key aspects of APP’s sustainability strategy.
This week on 2-3 June, APP joined a virtual HCV Summit 2021, held by the HCV Network, which discussed the role of the High Conservation Value (HCV) Approach in supporting climate, biodiversity, and social targets in this crucial decade for our planet. The HCV Network’s vision is ensuring a deforestation-free supply chain and contributing to critical climate and sustainable development goals, which is aligned with our vision.
During the summit, APP Sinar Mas’ Head of Landscape Conservation, Dolly Priatna shared that currently APP is managing around 600,000 ha of protected area across all suppliers’ concession areas, most of which are considered as High Conservation Value (HCV) area. However, in implementing measures to protect and manage this area, we continue to face challenges such as forest degradation due to illegal logging, illegal mining, land encroachment, as well as forest fire. However, despite the challenges we faced, through FCP implementation and with continuous efforts and collaboration, we have seen progress in restoration works in around 21,000 ha of degraded forest in 2019 and around 16,000 ha in 2020. Where possible, in many of these areas we continue to involve communities, through community empowerment programs, in these forest restoration initiatives.
In addition to forest restoration initiatives, we are currently working with the Center for Social, Economy, Policy and Climate Change Research and Development (P3SEKPI), to develop restoration strategies for different type of soil. These strategies will be published in hope that it can be a reference for other stakeholders in developing and implementing forest restoration initiatives.
Through the various restoration initiatives that we implement throughout our operation, APP Sinar Mas shares the spirit of the 2021 World Environment Day on Ecosystem Restoration. We believe that ecosystem restoration is a shared responsibility and will continue to contribute our part in the global effort to protect and conserve the world’s forest.
Read more about APP FCP here: https://app.co.id/sustainability/forest