PT Pertamina (Persero) is really going all out to strengthen their Hutan Lestari Pertamina program in support of World Forest Day and their goal of reaching Net Zero Emission by 2060, or maybe even earlier. From 2018 to 2024, Pertamina managed to plant a whopping 9 million trees in their Hutan Lestari Pertamina, reducing carbon emissions by a cool 222 thousand tons of C02eq per year. Vice President Corporate Communication, Fadjar Djoko Santoso, emphasizes the crucial role of Hutan Lestari Pertamina in ensuring the sustainability of forests while boosting the local economy. This effort is perfectly aligned with the theme of World Forest Day, which focuses on the vital role of forests in food security, livelihood preservation, and biodiversity promotion.
Fadjar explains that Hutan Lestari Pertamina is more than just a conservation and reforestation program; it’s a tangible commitment to planting Mangrove and mainland trees, providing seedlings, and improving the economic well-being of the community. By involving the local residents in tree planting, Pertamina ensures sustainability while also delivering tangible economic benefits to the people. Mangroves play a significant role in carbon absorption and storage, as well as in preventing coastal erosion and mitigating the impact of tsunami waves. The tree planting initiatives led by Pertamina have not only benefited 4,783 individuals with an annual group income of Rp 3 billion but have also covered 337 tree planting programs across 891 hectares of land.
Pertamina’s Social Forestry Program spans 13 locations across Indonesia, from Sumatera to Papua, providing seedlings, organic fertilizer management, and forest conservation education to around 3,795 farmers in the vicinity of forests. Through collaboration with farmers, Pertamina has successfully planted 68 hectares of productive trees, while also educating farmers on organic fertilizer production. The farmers have even managed to propagate 338 thousand productive trees. Wastoyo, a Local Hero from the Margo Rukun Bestari Social Forestry Business Group in Lampung, Sumatera, proudly shares the group’s accomplishments in seedling production and organic fertilizer management. The group has achieved self-sufficiency in managing 190 thousand productive tree seedlings and producing organic fertilizer from 70 tons of coffee husks annually, generating an impressive income of Rp 1.5 billion per year. The members express gratitude for the blessings they have received through their environmental conservation efforts.
