Revitalizing the Role of Forest Management Units (KPH) in the Revision of the Forestry Law

The Ministry of Forestry (“Kemenhut”) has proposed the revitalization of the functions of Forest Management Units (“KPH”) in the Draft Bill on the reveision of Law No. 41 of 1999 (“Law 41/1999”) on Forestry (“Forestry Draft Bill”). Dwi Januanto Nugroho, Director-General of Forest Law Enforcement at Kemenhut, stated that the KPH’s functions as on-site managers need to be restored so that they can more effectively protect forests and manage wildfires. 

“Due to the Job Creation Law, the KPH’s current functions are limited to administrative tasks; therefore, we propose that they be fully restored to their role as on-site managers,” said Dwi.

Dwi explained that with this revitalization, the KPHs will be better able to conduct territorial patrols, implement mitigation efforts, and directly suppress forest fires at the field level in collaboration with relevant agencies. This revitalization of the KPHs will be accompanied by the fulfillment of staffing quotas for forest police and civil servant investigators (“PPNS”), whose numbers are currently uneven across various regions.