1,000 seeds planted to save NTB forest

MATARAM: Residents have begun to plant the seeds of 1,000 trees on Sesaot Forest in West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province Wednesday to protect the forest, which was used as a water resource for province-owned tap-water company PDAM Menang-Mataram.

NTB Forestry Agency chief Lalu Syaiful Arifin said the seeds were bought using environmental service fees collected from 59,000 customers of the tap company.

Arifin said the fees, amounting to Rp 60 million (US$6,000) in December this year, was also for operational costs and an empowerment program for local residents who maintained the seeds, which were planted in 6 hectares of critical land around the forest.

“It’s just the first stage,” Arifin said, launching the seed planting, adding that the administration targeted to plant 59,000 seeds next year.

— JP