Forest Area and Types in West Java in 2024

In the 2024 Ministry of Forestry Statistics report, the Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) recorded at least four types of forest areas in West Java for that year.

These forest areas include terrestrial conservation, protected forests (HL), limited production forests (HPT), and production forests (HP). West Java was recorded as not having converted production forests (HPK).

Of these types, the terrestrial conservation area was recorded at 132.18 thousand hectares (ha). The HPT area was 190.15 ha, and the HP area was 202.96 ha. There was also an HL area of 291.3 ha.

Currently, one of the protected forest areas (HL) in West Java is widely discussed.

According to Katadata, DPR members from the Golkar faction and academics have highlighted a proposal to change the status of forest areas, such as Mount Wayang, into a Grand Forest Park (Tahura). This aims to strengthen conservation and environmental protection functions, through the issuance of a Social Forestry Decree by the Central Government, which grants management access to the community.

This policy is considered to have not been properly socialized and coordinated at the regional level, leading to confusion, potential management conflicts, and concerns about the sustainability of the forest area's ecological functions.

Krisdianto, Head of the Bureau of Public Relations and Foreign Cooperation at Kemenhut, stated in a press release that Minister of Forestry Decree Number 10629 of 2025 dated November 11 is not the issuance of a new permit.

It is an administrative transformation from the recognition and protection permit for forestry partnerships, also known as Kulin KK, issued in 2021, into a village forest management approval, in accordance with Government Regulation Number 23 of 2021 concerning Forestry Administration and Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation Number 4 of 2023 concerning Social Forestry Management in Forest Areas with Special Management.

This Village Forest Management Approval does not transfer land ownership and does not change the status of the area.

The area remains a protected forest, is under state control, and is not transferred to the ownership of any party. Community management access within the framework of Village Forests is limited and subject to state supervision.

“There are strict prohibitions against land-use change, commercial logging, and land transactions. Activities that contradict the protective function are prohibited and may be subject to sanctions, including permit revocation,” the written statement read.

Regarding the Mount Wayang Grand Forest Park (Tahura) proposal by the West Java Provincial Government, the process is still ongoing and awaiting a technical study to be carried out in 2026.

“The Village Forest Decree does not cancel or hinder the Tahura proposal process, and it will be adjusted according to the recommendations of the Integrated Team's technical study,” it was quoted.