IKN Authority Tightens Deforestation Control Measures

RRI.CO.ID, Nusantara – The Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Authority is intensifying its efforts to combat deforestation within the new capital’s development zone. This strategic move aims to safeguard green space targets and ensure protected areas remain preserved through 2045.

Myrna Asnawati Safitri, Deputy for Environment and Natural Resources at the IKN Authority, noted that deforestation in the region predates the capital’s construction. Land clearing for extractive industries and land conversion have historically been the primary drivers of ecosystem degradation. 

According to Myrna, the development of IKN is specifically designed to restore forest functions and curb environmental decline.

“We are striving to slow the rate of deforestation by not expanding new land clearings. Furthermore, we have halted the issuance of new permits, including those for the palm oil and mining sectors,” she said on Monday, February 9, 2026.

She further explained that the IKN Authority is actively conducting reforestation and rehabilitation of protected areas, particularly those under its direct jurisdiction. These greening initiatives involve multi-stakeholder collaboration, extending to conservation zones surrounding the development sites.

In addition to restoration, law enforcement has been ramped up to tackle illegal activities occurring during the development's transition phase. Myrna emphasized that law enforcement agencies are being deployed to take firm action against violations that threaten forest areas and the environment.

Data from the IKN Authority shows that prior to construction, annual deforestation in the region reached thousands of hectares. This legacy remains a significant challenge in realizing the "forest city" vision. 

“The construction of IKN is not intended to destroy forests, but to re-establish ecosystems that have already been degraded. Therefore, environmental supervision and recovery measures are continually being strengthened,” she said.

She added that controlling deforestation is vital to ensuring green spaces remain the dominant feature of the IKN landscape. The target includes maintaining 65 percent of the area as protected zones and 10 percent for food production, while strictly limiting physical construction to specific planned sectors. (Annaila Azzahra/Bambang MBKA)