Indonesia's Indigenous Forest Area to Reach 25 Million Ha by March 2025

According to data from the Indigenous Customary Territory Registration Agency (BRWA), as of March 2025, there are 25 million hectares (ha) of forest areas in customary territories in Indonesia. These forest areas are divided into five types.

First, protected forests, covering 6,602,635 ha in customary territories. Second, limited production forests, covering 6,360,517 ha.

Next, there are conservation forests covering 5,705,371 ha; production forests covering 4,348,392 ha; and conversion production forests covering 2,160,428 ha. In total, the area of forest areas in customary territories reaches 25,177,343 ha.

BRWA has also registered 1,583 customary territories in Indonesia, covering 32.3 million ha as of March 2025. However, of this number, only about 19.08% have received recognition from local governments.

According to BRWA, local governments have only designated 302 customary territories with a total area of 5.3 million ha. "The slow and limited recognition of customary territories implies an increased potential for tenurial conflicts in these areas," said BRWA Head Kasmita Widodo, as quoted from the organization's official website.

In addition to the recognition of customary territories, BRWA states that the designation of customary forests is still far from expectations. Yet, Constitutional Court Decision No. 35/PUU-X/2012 (MK-35) affirms that customary forests are no longer part of state forest areas, but rather the rights of indigenous communities.

"To date, the Ministry of Forestry has only designated 156 customary territories covering 322,505 ha as customary forests. However, based on BRWA data, the potential for designated customary forests reaches 24.5 million ha," stated BRWA.

(Baca juga: Indonesia's 2024 Customary Forest Area Data: Largest in Central Kalimantan)