TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
APRIL Group Set to Expand Community-Led Conservation Programme to 100,000 Hectares by 2030
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
A
PRIL Group, one of the world’s leading producers of pulp, paper and paperboard products, has unveiled its commitment to expand its community-led conservation program to cover 100,000 hectares by 2030, more than tripling its current coverage. This initiative is designed to reinforce the company's continued commitment to sustainable forest restoration and conservation.
The announcement was made during the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) General Assembly, held recently in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Speaking at the event, APRIL’s Head of Sustainability Operations, Aldo Joson, said the initiative will increase the area under community conservation agreements from the current 30,000 hectares to 100,000 hectares by 2030.
This expansion is part of APRIL’s broader strategy to enhance its focus on community-led conservation as part of its sustainable forest management approach in Indonesia.
Central to this effort is APRIL’s internal funding mechanism, which allocates US$1 to conservation for every tonne of plantation wood delivered to the company’s mill. This approach enabled APRIL to invest US$14.8 million in conservation initiatives in 2024 alone.
The funds support both the community conservation program and approximately 360,000 ha of forest designated for conservation and restoration.
“Our unique funding model ensures that every part of our business contributes to conservation,” said Joson. “Sustainable forest management at scale requires long-term, stable investment, and this mechanism provides exactly that.”
APRIL’s community conservation partnerships engage local communities near its operations in Sumatra. These 10 villages receive annual payments of US$10,000 to support forest conservation areas under their stewardship, while satellite monitoring helps prevent encroachment and illegal logging.
“We have taken a straightforward approach to these partnerships by building on our long-standing relationships with local communities. This has allowed us to rapidly scale the program,” Joson said. “We believe this model can also be replicated in other developing countries where sustainable landscape management is a priority.”
Biodiversity protection remains a central focus of the program. Joson said community-based monitoring helps track environmental indicators such as water quality and the presence of endangered species. “At the heart of the scheme is the principle of assigning tangible value to biodiversity protection,” said Joson. “As we learn more about these community conservation areas we expect the payments to increase in line with the specific biodiversity values identified”
He also stressed the importance of independent certification in supporting APRIL’s sustainability goals. “We align with both local and international environmental and sustainability standards, which is why we invest in globally recognized certifications like PEFC. This gives our stakeholders confidence that our forest management practices meet rigorous standards.”
Another of APRIL’s conservation initiatives is the Restorasi Ekosistem Riau project, spanning approximately 150,000 hectares of peatland rainforest, has PEFC certification. This flagship project demonstrates APRIL’s dedication to conserving forested landscapes in accordance with international standards.
APRIL has been a PEFC member since 2016. As of December 2024, 88.1 percent of its plantations are certified under the PEFC Forest Management (PEFC-FM) standard. Additionally, its mill is 100 percent certified under the PEFC Chain of Custody standard, confirming that all forest-based materials originate from sustainably managed sources.
According to APRIL, this year also marks the 10th anniversary of the company’s Sustainable Forest Management Policy 2.0, which includes its commitment to zero-deforestation and a range of other environmental and social targets.
