Environment Minister launches bamboo drive to restore 12.4 million ha

Environment Minister Moh. Jumhur Hidayat launched a national bamboo planting movement in Cibinong, Bogor Regency, on Sunday, to support rehabilitation of about 12.4 million hectares of critical land. The program is part of the government agenda titled “national ecological repentance.” Jumhur said environmental recovery cannot rely on the government alone, so his ministry will work with communities and bamboo activists to prepare seedlings in large numbers. He said planting in Bogor, which currently stands at about 5,000 stalks, is targeted to grow to millions and then tens of millions of bamboo plants in various regions. In the same series of activities, the Environment Ministry is also preparing to restore about 700,000 hectares of damaged mangroves out of a total 3.4 million hectares of mangroves in Indonesia.