Managing Forests Without Restoring

January 22, 2026 | 10:24 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A total of 4.09 million hectares of oil palm plantations inside forest areas was brought under control in 2025, but the move prioritized revenue generation over environmental restoration.

The Forest Area Enforcement (PKH) Task Force claims to have seized 4.09 million hectares of oil palm plantations within forest zones throughout 2025. At first glance, this looks like proof of state firmness. However, the massive scale of the land involved is a glaring indicator that forest destruction has been tolerated for far too long.

It would not have been possible for millions of hectares of illegal oil palm plantations to grow and operate for years without systemic neglect. And this large-scale clearing of forests would not have been possible simply because of administrative negligence. Illegal acts run rampant because of a paralyzed oversight mechanism and law enforcement has become a matter of negotiation.

This systemic negligence leads directly to ecological crises. Protected forests and conservation areas have lost their function as water catchments, climate controllers, and habitats for biodiversity. The recurring flash floods and landslides are not mere natural disasters, they are the consequences of policies that normalize violations.

The PKH Task Force was established through Presidential Regulation No. 5/2025 with a mandate to act against individuals or corporations violating forest zones. The problem is that the Task Force’s orientation has, from the start, emphasized administrative settlement over ecological restoration. Indeed, the regulation itself prioritizes the imposition of fines, the reclaiming of the areas, and asset recovery rather than environmental rehabilitation.

Throughout 2025, the PKH Task Force claimed to have secured Rp4.76 trillion in administrative fines from 41 oil palm companies. However, there is almost no clarity regarding how much of those funds have been allocated to restoring the damaged forests. Environmental debt is being treated as if it were paid in full simply through a fund deposit.

The next issue is the government’s decision to hand over the illegal oil palm land to a state-owned enterprise, Agrinas Palma Nusantara. Instead of being restored, the plantations continue to operate. Illegal practices do not stop, they merely change hands—from private entities to the state. Rather than rehabilitate the forest, the government is continuing the exploitation under the guise of management.

The repressive approach of the Forest Area Enforcement Task Force has also led to serious human rights issues. The involvement of armed personnel has led to concerns about the militarization of forest regions. Indigenous peoples and small farmers have become most vulnerable to the impact, especially those who manage small plantations established by companies within forest areas. In many cases, the people have come into conflict with the security forces, while large corporations simply pay fines to be able to continue their business.

Even more concerning, the PKH Task Force’s operations continue with minimal oversight. The House of Representatives has said virtually nothing, despite this issue concerning millions of hectares of forest, the futures of indigenous people, and environmental sustainability. Without transparency or accountability, these takeovers risk turning into a new way of legitimizing old damage.

When the enforcement of the rules stops at fines and transfer of management, the government is not actually saving the forests, but simply tidying up the damage and legalizing the violations. And when this happens, the forests and local people always lose out, as intended.

Read the Complete Story in Tempo English Magazine

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