OUR FORESTS

Indonesia has some of the richest in the world. The total area of forested land is approximately 120 million hectares. These forests have exited for millions of years and they have much to offer us. They are important for their products, such as timber, rattan, resin, etc: They are also important for keeping the soil fertile. The leaves of the forest trees fall to the ground and become humus. The humus is fertilizer for the soil. The forest are also important for preventing soil erosion and floods. The roos of the trees prevent the soil from being washed away by the rain.

Some years ago the forest in Indonesia looked from the air like an unbroken carpet of green. Today there are a lot of bare patches. Where trees have heen cut down and cleared. The trees have been cut down for timber. Forest are cleared for farms, mines and settlemen's In some arean the destruction is continuing at a ver/rapid rate. If we do not stop this, our forest will be gone by the end of this century.

Our goverment realized this has taken some steeps to prevent the destruction some regulations have been issued to protect the forest. In addition, reforestation projects are being carried out. These projects are as important as other big development project. It is our duty as good citizens to help the govermment carry out these programmes successfully.