Kemenhut Monitors Regional Conservation Areas Affected by the Sumatra Disaster

Illustration: A number of emergency tents belonging to flood victims are seen in the forest area of Kuta Teugoh Village, Beutong Ateuh Banggalang, Nagan Raya, Aceh, Thursday (11/12/2025). ANTARA FOTO/Syifa Yulinnas/nz.

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) continues to monitor the condition of conservation areas around the areas affected by floods and landslides in Sumatra.

"For conservation areas, we are both watching, how big the influence of the condition of the conservation area around the affected disaster areas is on the occurrence of floods and landslides," said the Director of Conservation Areas of the Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE) of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Sapto Aji Prabowo, as reported by ANTARA, Monday, December 15.

He explained that the Ministry of Finance had also held a meeting with relevant parties and a task force on the condition of conservation areas in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.

"In general, the condition of conservation areas around the disaster area is still quite good compared to other forest functions," said SaptoAji Prabowo.

Previously, the Ministry of Home Affairs strengthened the management of River Basin (DAS) comprehensively as a response to the increasing incidence of flooding in various regions.

Efforts include identifying vulnerable points upstream of the watershed, accelerating forest and land rehabilitation in critical areas, and implementing revegetation on river banks and steep slopes to increase land stability.

In addition to this, supervision of land use changes is tightened to ensure that the use of space remains in accordance with its ecological function.

The Ministry of Home Affairs also encourages cross-sectoral coordination with related ministries and local governments (Pemda) in efforts to normalize rivers, increase the capacity of hydrometeorological monitoring, and strengthen the early warning system.

All these steps, he continued, are aimed at restoring the carrying capacity of the environment, reducing the level of flood vulnerability, and ensuring that water and land resources are managed in an integrated manner from upstream to downstream.

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