Prevent Deforestation, North Kalimantan Prepares Regulation Protecting High Conservation Value Areas

The Provincial Government of North Kalimantan (Kaltara) is drafting a regulation to protect High Conservation Value Areas (HCVAs) in sustainable plantation management. Amid the rapid expansion of oil palm plantations, this step is deemed crucial because, according to a study by Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN), Kaltara has the highest forest cover in Kalimantan, reaching 5.49 million hectares or 78.48 per cent of its administrative area.

The escalating threat of deforestation, especially from the plantation sector, poses a significant risk of accelerating climate change and triggering ecological disasters. Consequently, sustainable plantation practices in Kaltara are imperative, with a particular focus on protecting HCVAs.

In the Thought Leaders Forum (TLF) themed “The Role of Local Governments in Sustainable Plantation Management and High Conservation Value Areas” in Tanjung Selor, the Governor of Kaltara, represented by the Head of the Regional Development Planning and Research Agency (Bappeda and Litbang), Bertius, expressed hope that the province can balance economic development with environmental protection.  

“We must not repeat the mistakes made in other regions. Plantation expansion that leads to forest loss, biodiversity decline, and reduced quality of life for communities cannot continue. Moreover, North Kalimantan is the lungs of the world. We need to adopt proven approaches and innovations to maintain the balance between economic growth and environmental protection,” he said.

Kaltara has recorded a remarkable surge in palm oil production, with the total planted areas reaching an impressive 579,220 hectares by September 2025. This growth encompasses both corporate and smallholder plantations. In contrast, Bulungan Regency has consistently experienced an increase in palm oil production since 2018. By 2021, the region had registered 25 plantations and a total planting area of 74,366 hectares. Notably, approximately 84% of this area is managed by companies, with the rest by smallholders. This trend highlights the pressing need for regulations to ensure that plantation expansion does not jeopardise the conservation of High Conservation Value Areas (HCVAs).

Herlina Hartanto, Executive Director of YKAN, noted in her speech that plantations such as oil palm play a strategic role in regional development. However, she emphasised that management must remain sustainable.  

“One key approach is to avoid converting high conservation value areas, which are important biologically, ecologically, socially, and culturally. Active roles from provinces and districts/cities are needed, especially in coordinating with central government authorities,” she stated.

The discussion also highlighted global trends such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation (NDPE), and the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), all of which emphasise the importance of sustainable plantation practices. Daddy Ruhiyat from the East Kalimantan Regional Climate Change Council reminded the forum that the new Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) standard has been ratified under Presidential Regulation Number 16 of 2025.

Meanwhile, Yahya Ahmad Zein, the Rector of Borneo Tarakan University, emphasised the significance of incorporating environmental considerations into regional plantation policies, updating HCVA data, and the crucial role of universities in research and human resource development.  

“Mitigation must be supported by regulation before disasters occur, not after. This is crucial to ensure clarity of authority between central and local governments in managing high conservation value areas,” he explained.

Supaad Hadianto, Chair of the Regional Regulation Formation Agency of the Kaltara DPRD, stated in the same forum that he is ready to accelerate the discussion process for the Draft Regional Regulation on Sustainable Plantations in North Kalimantan. 

“The experience in Sumatra is a lesson; long-term overexploitation has shown its impact. We must not let that happen in Kaltara. That is why we need regulations to manage this,” he said.

Musnanda Satar, Deputy Director of Terrestrial Conservation Program Implementation and Information at YKAN, reminded us that not all non-forest land is suitable for conversion to palm oil due to economic reasons.  

“Conservation is not just about protecting wildlife or forests, but about safeguarding the environment for the sustainability of both humans and nature,” he concluded.

The efforts of the Kaltara Provincial Government and DPRD to issue regulations on HCVA management through a draft sustainable plantation bylaw are expected to become a milestone in sustainable plantation governance, capable of reducing deforestation and maintaining ecological balance in the province.