TRIBUNJABAR.ID, BANDUNG – The Chairman of the West Java Provincial Management Board of the Indonesian Social Forestry Management Association (BPP AP2SI), Dedi Junaedi, demanded a total change to the Forestry Law.
The demand was conveyed in a National Webinar entitled Social Forestry Based on Agrarian Reform, in response to the plan to narrow the Forest Area with Special Management (KHDPK) which is considered to threaten ecological recovery and community rights, Tuesday (30/6/2026).
Dedi said, the narrowing of the KHDPK is proof that agrarian reformIn the forestry sector, things have not been running as they should, because communities are only given access to manage forests, not legally guaranteed rights.
“"What's needed is fundamental change to the Forestry Law itself. The paradigm of forest management must shift from a state-controlled approach to a community-rights-based approach," said Dedi.
According to him, the plan to reduce the area of KHDPK from around 922,769 hectares to 583,629 hectares is not just an administrative adjustment, but a setback in the agenda. agrarian reform forestry.
“"This narrowing is not simply an administrative correction or adjustment to governance. It represents a retraction of the community management space previously promoted as part of the agrarian reform forestry," he said.
Dedi stated that social forestry has been built on a permitting mechanism, leaving communities vulnerable. The access granted by the state can be reduced or revoked at any time because it is not based on rights recognition.
“"Communities are granted permits to manage forests, but not forest rights. Access is temporary, revocable, and entirely dependent on state administrative authority," he said.
Dedi also believes that current forestry policies still maintain the old paradigm, which places the state as the primary controller of forest areas. As a result, the structure of forest resource control has remained unchanged despite the implementation of various social forestry programs.
“"The state maintains control. Perhutani retains the assets. The community remains the user. Until this shift occurs, KHDPK and social forestry will remain mere illusions." agrarian reform, providing unjust access, and maintaining inequality,” he said.
In his presentation, Dedi also highlighted that the process of narrowing the KHDPK was carried out in a centralized manner, without equal involvement from the affected communities.
This condition shows that the community has not been positioned as the main actor in forest management decision-making.
“"When community governance space can be reduced without their consent, the principle of procedural justice is not met," he said.
According to Dedi, changing the Forestry Law is an urgent step if the government wants to make it happen agrarian reform in forest areas. Recognition of community-managed areas must be recognized as a constitutional right with long-term legal certainty.
“"Agrarian reform in forest areas must be affirmed as a mandate in law, not simply a government program that can change at any time," he said.
Dedi emphasized that the narrowing of the KHDPK must be understood as a fundamental problem in national forestry governance, not simply a reduction in area size.
“"When community management space is narrowed through administrative decisions, what is actually being narrowed is not only forest areas, but also the opportunity for agrarian justice in the forestry sector," he said.
