PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAMBI — The Berbak and Sembilang National Park Authority (Taman Nasional Berbak dan Sembilang or TNBS) has destroyed approximately 98.8 hectares of illegal oil palm plantations inside Berbak National Park as part of a joint patrol aimed at curbing encroachment and protecting the park’s fragile peatland ecosystem.
TNBS Head Yunaidi said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to control illegal land clearing and safeguard the ecological functions of the conservation area.
“This enforcement action is intended to suppress encroachment and preserve the sustainability of Berbak National Park’s ecological functions, particularly its peatland ecosystem,” Yunaidi said, as quoted by Palmoilmagazine.com from Antara on Monday (December 15, 2025).
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The operation took place from December 4 to 10, 2025, in the Sungai Rambut Resort area under Management Section I of the national park. Administratively, the site is located in Sungai Palas Hamlet, Rantau Rasau Village, Berbak Sub-district, East Tanjung Jabung Regency, Jambi Province.
Authorities noted that the area had been subject to encroachment over the past two years, with illegal oil palm planting carried out by individuals within the national park boundaries.
A total of 51 personnel from six institutions were deployed in the joint operation, including officers from the TNBS Authority, the Forestry Law Enforcement Agency for Sumatra, the National Police, the Indonesian Military (TNI), local sub-district and village administrations, and Community Forest Rangers. The cross-agency collaboration was designed to ensure the operation was conducted safely, effectively, and in line with conservation security standards.
Illegal oil palm trees aged between one and two years were destroyed using chainsaws, machetes, harvesting tools, and herbicides. By the end of the operation, all oil palm plants across nearly 100 hectares had been successfully removed.
Yunaidi emphasized that the cleared area was separate from locations currently under legal investigation for forestry crimes involving two suspects. He said the clarification was necessary to avoid public misunderstanding.
“The enforcement site is distinct from areas that are still undergoing legal proceedings. This clarification is important to prevent misinterpretation among the public,” he said.
Berbak National Park is recognized as one of Sumatra’s most critical peat swamp ecosystems and serves as a habitat for various wildlife species, including protected animals. Encroachment and land clearing for plantations—particularly illegal oil palm—pose serious risks to peat structure integrity and significantly increase the likelihood of forest and land fires.
The TNBS Authority stated that the operation forms part of its routine conservation security agenda. The initiative aims to reduce encroachment, maintain peatland hydrological functions, protect biodiversity, and strengthen area monitoring through integrated patrols involving local communities.
At the conclusion of the operation, TNBS expressed appreciation to all parties involved, stressing that cross-sectoral coordination remains essential to ensuring the long-term preservation of conservation areas. (P2)
