The World Forestry Center

	Information Resources Site Menu
	Wood Products Trade Introduction North America Europe South America Asia Forests of the World Australia Brazil Canada Chile China Finland Germany Indonesia Japan Korea Mexico Russia United Kingdom Oregon's Forests Forestry Links		The Forests of Indonesia
			Indonesia's total land area is 193 million ha (735,356 sq. miles), of which 75% is classified by the Ministry of Forestry as forest land. The remaining 25 % is divided into: agricultural estates (5.8 %), gardens (6.5%), rice fields (4.2 %) and other uses (9.6%). Indonesia's 144 million ha of forest land is classified by The Ministry of Forestry into five categories. The first four make up permanent forest land: Conservation and National Parks: 13% Land set aside for preservation of genetic resources, life-supporting systems and the development of science, education and recreation. Protected Forests: 21% This category is in majority comprised of watershed forests completely closed to commercial and even recreational uses. This type of is entitled to protection because of its hydrological function . Limited Production Forest: 21% Managed for timber production, but may have lower allowable harvest levels due to environmental concerns. Only selective felling is permitted. Regular Production Forest: 24% Designated for timber, rattan and other forestry products; managed under harvesting and reforestation regulations. Selective felling and some clear cutting is permitted. Conversion Forest: 21% Forest convertible to farms, plantations and other uses such as resettlement. Forest Types There are as many as 19 different forest types in Indonesia, including coastal forests on beaches and dunes, tidal forests such as mangroves, nipah, and palm, heath forest associated with sandy soils of poor quality, and finally peat, swamp, wetland, evergreen, bamboo, savanna, and montane forests. Forest Species There are over 4,000 species of trees in Indonesia. Of these, 120 hardwood species (267 botanical species) are suitable for commercial use. More than 48 are used in the plywood industry, mainly from the Dipterocarp family. Major timber producing species are those dipterocarps in the genera Shorea. Within the Shorea group, the light hardwood Meranti species is the most important hardwood due to its great demand in world markets and its abundance and accessibility (it is Indonesia's dominant wood species). Timber estates which supply the pulp and paper industries generally produce fast growing species like Pine, Eucalyptus, Albizia, and Acacia. Softwoods are produced in Indonesia but on a much smaller scale than hardwoods. The most important softwood species is Agathis, which is generally found interspersed with hardwoods or, rarely, in pure stands in Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Irian Jaya. Pinus merkusii is another important softwood, primarily found in Sumatra. Rattan is an important non-timber wood product in Indonesia. Indonesia has 516 kinds of rattan originating from 9 genus. The main growing areas are Kalimantan, Sumatra and Java. Indonesian Forest Products Indonesia's efforts to become a leading wood processor have been successful. Since the 1985 ban on log exports, there has been a rapid development of value-added industries. Today, processed wood products are Indonesia's second-highest source of foreign exchange after oil and gas. In 1993, Indonesia's forestry sector brought in $5.15 billion in export earnings, accounting for 25 % of total industrial exports. The major sectors of Indonesia's forest industry are logs, lumber, wood panels, pulp and paper, secondary wood processing, and non-timber forest products such as rattan.