Green Logging

THE plantation area at the foothills of Pekandangan village is very similar to a forest. Plots two or three hectares wide are filled with fruit-trees such as durian and jackfruit as well as with commodity shrubs such as coffee, cacao and pepper. The fecund green land stretches for three kilometers. Teakwood trees, mahogany, acacia, and the soaring jabon (Anthocephalus cadamba) rise amidst the plants. "Each trunk is our savings for medical treatment and our children's tuition," Margo Widodo said. This resident of Pekandangan accompanied Tempo English on a tour of the area three weeks ago. During the walk, he told Tempo how three years ago, he cut down several trees to finance his son's wedding.

Pekandangan is a village in the subdistrict of Pubian, Central Lampung Regency. A three-hour drive from Bandar Lampung, six years ago this area was not as green as it is now. Today the amount of its hardwood trees almost outnumber the coffee and cacao shrubs. "Actually, people have been planting acacia and teak for quite a while, but not as routinely as they do today," Margo said. In a month the residents here can plant 50-100 tree saplings. Each time they cut down one tree, they would replace it with 10 saplings.