RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry is encouraging the strengthening of forestry regulations to provide legal certainty, expedite the resolution of tenure conflicts, and enhance the recognition of customary law communities thru the revision of the Forestry Law.

The Vice Minister of Forestry, Rohmat Marzuki, conveyed in a meeting with the Legislative Body of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) regarding the Draft Law (RUU) on the Fourth Amendment to Law Number 41 of 1999 on Forestry. According to him, the refinement of the Forestry Law has become an important necessity to address the developments in law, policy, and forest management practices that have undergone significant changes over the past two decades.

"Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia emphasizes that the earth, water, and natural resources contained therein are controlled by the state and used to the greatest extent for the prosperity of the people." To realize the mandate of the constitution, forest management must ensure a balance between economic functions, social functions, and environmental functions," Rohmat said in his statement on Tuesday, June 9, 2026.

He explained that state control over forests is not to be interpreted as state ownership of the entire forest area, but rather as a basis for authority to regulate, manage, determine the status of forest areas, grant utilization permits, and ensure the ecological and social functions of the forest are maintained for the benefit of the wider community. Therefore, the refinement of forest control norms is deemed necessary to provide stronger legal certainty while still respecting the rights of customary law communities and those living in or around forest areas.

According to the Ministry of Forestry, one of the biggest challenges facing the forestry sector today is the resolution of tenure conflicts. There are still overlaps between forest areas and community lands, customary territories, and permits for other sectors that require regulatory strengthening and accelerated policy implementation on the ground.

In addition, the Ministry of Forestry also believes that the revision of the Forestry Law needs to accommodate the development of environmental services and carbon economy issues. When the Forestry Law was drafted in 1999, the concepts of carbon trading, carbon credits, payment for environmental services, and nature-based solutions had not yet developed as they have today. Therefore, a stronger legal foundation is needed to support its implementation.

In the discussion of the Forestry Bill, the Ministry of Forestry proposed several material reinforcements, including those related to the control and status of forest areas, social forestry, recognition of customary law communities, forest rehabilitation, forestry funding, forestry information systems, and law enforcement.

"This Forestry Bill is expected to be a momentum to strengthen legal certainty in forest areas, accelerate the resolution of tenure conflicts, reinforce the recognition of customary law communities, support the carbon economy, and ensure that forest management remains in favor of the sustainability and prosperity of the people,"he explained.