A seminar on “Reclamation of Ex-Mining Areas in Support of Sustainable Development” and a book launching highlighted SEAMEO BIOTROP’s 43rd anniversary celebration on 28 February 2011 held at the Centre’s Convention Hall in Bogor.

After a welcome address from SEAMEO BIOTROP Director Dr. Bambang Purwantara and an inspirational message from  Mr. Jeffrey Mulyono, Head of the Forum for Forest Reclamation on Ex-mined Land (FRHLBT), the seminar was officially opened by Dr. Harris Iskandar, Secretary of Directorate General of Higher Education of Indonesia.

The seminar consisted of keynote speeches and presentations of good management practices on ex-mine site reclamation by leading mining companies in Indonesia. Keynote speakers included Dr Sunaryo from the Ministry of Forestry, and Mr Sujatmiko from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.  Presentors on good practices in reclamation of ex-mine sites were PT Andora Indonesia for drinking water production, PT INCO for biodiversity conservation, PT Newmont Minahasa Raya for production forest, and PT Bukit Asam for non-wood production. The seminar was moderated by Prof. Dr. Cecep Kusmana from the Department of Silviculture and Prof. Dr. I Nengah Surati Jaya from the Department of Forest Management of the Faculty of Forestry of Bogor Agricultural University.

On the other hand, the book that was launched was on “Silviculture Techniques for Reclamation of Ex-mined Sites” in Bahasa Indonesia. Authored by Dr. Irdika Mansur, SEAMEO BIOTROP Deputy Director, the book discusses silviculture techniques in the context of best management practices adopted by 3 best mining companies in Indonesia with whom Dr. Irdika had provided technical assistance to.  These mining companies are  PT INCO, PT Bukit Asam, and PT Newmont Minahasa Raya. 

In his launching speech, Dr. Irdika said that the his 126-page book, being the first one on the subject matter, could help mining companies in Indonesia to comply with the government’s regulation on effectively rehabilitating mining sites after operation. The same sentiment was shared by both Prof. Dr. Ruddy Sayoga from the Faculty of Mining and Petroleum Engineering of Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and Prof. Dr. Dudung Darusman from the Faculty of Forestry of Bogor Agricultural University, as invited book commentators during the launching.

The seminar and book launching was attended by about 150 guests and participants from mining companies, research institutions, universities and secondary schools, including  BIOTROP staff members.  The seminar and book launching was coorganised by The FRHLBT, and sponsored by PT Adaro Indonesia, PT INCO, PT Bukit Asam, PT Berau Coal, PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara, PT Freeport Indonesia, PT Timah, and PT Mandiri Inti Perkasa. (TK and JF)

Click here to download presentation files.