Heavy Equipment in Natural Forests - Permits Required

The illegal exploitation of Indonesia's natural forests continues to occur at an alarming rate and it is expected much of Indonesia's natural forests will be completely harvested within the next decade. The government appears to be more focused on licensing operations to make them legitimate rather than providing a comprehensive regulatory framework to address the ever-increasing problem of illegal logging. This Minister of Forestry Regulation, No. P.54/MENHUT-II/2007, is one such Regulation.

The Regulation sets out the regulatory framework for obtaining a license to operate heavy equipment in natural forests and the mechanisms for obtaining this license.

The heavy equipment permitted to be used in natural forests based on a Forest Exploitation Business License - Natural Forests (Izin Usaha Pemanfaatan Hasil Hutan Kayu - Hutan Alam / IUPHHK - HA) or a Wood Exploitation License (Izin Pemanfaatan Kayu / IPK), or the winner of a tender carried out pursuant to prevailing laws and regulations. The equipment includes tractors, graders, dump trucks, shovels, skidders, excavators, skyline, log loaders, logging trucks, cranes, locomotives, and helicopters. The Regulation also mentions chainsaws as subsidiary equipment to the heavy equipment listed.

The Regulation includes an attachment that is designed to assist the applicant in calculating the optimal amount of heavy equipment required. This will facilitate compliance with the provisions and ensure that no more than the necessary heavy equipment will be granted the requisite permits to enter the natural forests where exploitation licenses have been granted.

Permits are issued for an initial five year period and may be extended for a further two years. Permits expire on the 31 December of the relevant year.

The Regulation came into force as of 4 December 2007.