Deforestation, the Challenge of Papua's Forests and Lands

Deforestation remains a major problem facing the natural forests of Tanah Papua. A report from Auriga released in February 2021 states that the area of natural forest in Tanah Papua shrank by 663,443 hectares (ha) over the last 20 years.

Between 2001 and 2010, forest loss amounted to 192,398 ha, equivalent to 29 percent, while between 2011 and 2019, the loss of natural forest reached 471,044 ha, or 71 percent. The highest rate of deforestation occurred in 2015, with a loss of 89,881 ha.

Several key factors contributing to the shrinking area of natural forest are the granting of permits for oil palm plantations and mining activities. Other causes include forest area management practices, infrastructure development, the transfer of forest production control and supervision to regional governments, and administrative regional expansion.

Natural forest refers to forests where vegetation growth occurs without, or with minimal, human intervention. Of the 88 million hectares of national natural forest, 33.8 million ha are located in Tanah Papua, representing 38 percent of the national natural forest area. This comprises 24.9 million ha in Papua (28.4 percent) and 8.85 million ha in West Papua Province (10.06 percent).