Ministry of Forestry Reaffirms the "Ecology Before Tourism" Principle

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Forestry has reaffirmed its serious commitment to entering an era of restoring Indonesia's degraded forest ecosystems. This commitment was articulated by Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni during the launch of the Simultaneous Ecosystem Restoration Movement, held to commemorate National Nature Conservation Day (HKAN) 2026 at the Angke Kapuk Nature Tourism Park (TWA) in Jakarta on Monday, August 10, 2026.

This movement is part of the government's strategic effort to accelerate the recovery of various degraded ecosystems and habitats within conservation areas across Indonesia.

In his remarks, the Minister reflected on the historical challenges facing Indonesia's forests, ranging from the 1970s to the subsequent expansion of monoculture plantations and mining activities. He emphasized that this occasion should serve as a moment for reflection—ensuring it does not become merely an annual ritual, but rather an opportunity to derive meaningful insights for improving the condition of the nation's forests and biodiversity.

"We are now taking steps toward ecosystem restoration. We are not assigning blame for the past; the reality is simply the current state of our forests and biodiversity. We must now seriously move forward with ecosystem restoration," Juli Antoni said.

The Minister revealed that this restoration initiative has the full support of President Prabowo Subianto, who is committed to restoring 12 million hectares of degraded or critical land; of this total, 6.7 million hectares are located within forest areas, and 1.21 million hectares are within conservation areas.

Addressing perceptions regarding land utilization, the Minister underscored the fundamental principles of national park management upheld by the government.

“Ecotourism is sometimes misunderstood as the exploitation or commercialization of our national parks. I maintain that this is not the case; the principle is ‘ecology before tourism.’ Ultimately, it is about ecology, nature, and the aforementioned restoration. We need to engage the private sector—partners who think creatively and prioritize sustainability,” he said.

According to a release received on Monday, August 10, 2026, the Minister also highlighted the state's limited capacity—regarding both funding and human resources—to restore such vast forest areas. Consequently, the Ministry is opening avenues for collaboration through mechanisms such as innovative financing (blended finance), carbon trading, and the recruitment of additional forest rangers.

“We must humbly acknowledge that as policymakers and regulators, the state faces limitations in terms of funding and human resource capacity. If our intentions are noble—aimed not at exploitation or commercialization but at the well-being of nature—surely we can craft regulations that facilitate this. If existing rules lag behind our progressive vision, there is no issue with adjusting them for the sake of our forests and our natural environment,” the Minister explained.