JAKARTA — Activists allege that two of the world’s biggest pulp and paper companies have violated their zero-deforestation pledge by clearing natural forests and peatlands in Indonesia. An investigation by a coalition of Indonesian NGOs found deforestation within and around the concessions of Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) and Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Ltd. (APRIL) on the island of Sumatra. In the case of APRIL, the coalition alleged that two of its concessions had cleared natural forests and destroyed peatlands, with some of their activities suspected to have been carried out without legal permits. The first concession is operated by PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper (RAPP) in Sungai Mandau region, Siak district, Riau province. Using satellite imagery analysis and on-the-ground investigation, the coalition found 9 hectares (22 acres) of deforestation within RAPP’s concession since June 2023, and beginning in August 2023, new clearance of 83 hectares (205 acres) has been detected around the concession. Satellite image showing deforestation in PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper (RAPP) in Sungai Mandau region, Siak district, Riau province. Image courtesy of Jikalahari. What once had been native trees was replaced with newly planted acacia trees, a fast-growing pulpwood tree species, the coalition found. The forest clearance was still detected as of April 2024. According to the investigation, the forest clearance was done by the same workers using the same equipment, indicating that RAPP is not only behind the deforestation within its concession, but also outside it. This, the coalition said, might be…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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