BANDUNG, KOMPAS.com – The threat of ecological disasters in West Java is growing stronger as forest cover shrinks and hydrometeorological disasters occur in various regions. The environmental organization, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) West Java, noted that forest cover reduction in West Java has reached 43 percent of the total forest area of approximately 792,616 hectares. This condition raises concerns that West Java could potentially face similar ecological threats to those currently experienced by several other provinces, such as Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. Also read: Update on the Cisarua Landslide in West Bandung: Day 17, SAR Team Collects 99 Body Bags Moreover, disasters in West Java during 2025 are quite high. The West Java Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) noted that as of December 21, 2025, there had been 1,497 disasters in the West Java region. Due to this condition, the West Java Provincial Government has declared a hydrometeorological disaster emergency alert status until April 30, 2026.
The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) expressed a similar sentiment. The high number of disasters in West Java is inextricably linked to the region's hydrological vulnerability. Geographically, West Java, with its approximately 3.7 million hectares, is prone to simultaneous flooding, particularly during extreme rainfall events.
Seeing the high threat of ecological disaster, the Jaleuleu Forest Farmers Group (Gapoktanhut) together with the Indonesian Social Forestry Management Association (AP2SI) of West Java are working to rehabilitate Forest Areas with Special Management (KHDPK). One of these efforts is being carried out in Cisondari Village, Pasirjambu District, Bandung Regency, West Java. KHDPK is a state forest area that is no longer managed by the State-Owned Forestry Enterprise, Perhutani. In this scheme, communities are positioned as the main actors in forest protection and restoration. In the context of the climate crisis and the increasing risk of ecological disaster in West Java, KHDPK management is considered a strategic step to maintain forest sustainability while opening up space for strengthening the economy of communities around the forest in a sustainable manner. "This planting is a manifestation of the enthusiasm of the members of the Jaleuleu Forest Farmers Group (Gapoktanhut Jaleuleu) in caring for and maintaining the forest to keep it green and sustainable. This value is in line with the philosophy of the name Jaleuleu, which means 'Protect Leuweung-Leuweung', as a moral message to continue to preserve the forest sustainably," said the Head of Gapoktanhut Jaleuleu, Ayi Sobari in his release, Thursday (12/2/2026). Disaster Mitigation The tree planting movement within the framework of social forestry is not only interpreted as a land rehabilitation activity. But also an effort to maintain the ecological function of the forest, strengthen regional resilience, and reduce disaster risks in a sustainable manner or disaster mitigation. The existence of ecological greenbelts in social forestry areas is expected to improve environmental carrying capacity, increase the area's ability to withstand water runoff, reduce erosion and landslides, and maintain ecosystem balance.
Dedi Junaedi, Chairman of the West Java Provincial Executive Board of the Indonesian Social Forestry Management Association (BPP AP2SI Jabar), emphasized that forest issues in West Java are not simply a matter of environmental protection. "We also need to consider the welfare of the communities surrounding the forests, who have been at the heart of keeping our forests green and sustainable. Therefore, the word "fair" is necessary, because without fair forest management, we will never achieve sustainability," he said.
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