From left, Tanoto Forestry Information Center, a display of teak tree and mineral soil, and e-library.

---

Based on bisnis.com article: Sukanto Tanoto: Saya Yakin Di Tangan Jokowi Iklim Usaha Membaik.

Founder and Chairman of Royal Golden Eagle (RGE,) Sukanto Tanoto is positive that the business climate of Indonesia’s forestry sector in 2016 will be improved, particularly when the sector is supported by government policies.

“I am sure under Joko Widodo’s government, the business sector’s performance, especially forestry, will be better as long as the government understands the impact,” said Sukanto Tanoto after inaugurating Tanoto Forestry Information Center at Bogor Agricultural University on Monday, December 21, 2015.

Sukanto Tanoto further said that, based on the forest type, Indonesia’s forestry industry is likely to be sustainable and could be further developed because of the availability of land.

He hopes that the government can support the local upstream industry which will positively impact the national industry in the long run. Therefore, the government needs to find a balance between supporting economic growth and environmental sustainability.

Sukanto Tanoto who is also the founder of Tanoto Foundation added that involvement of communities is important in developing and maintaining sustainable forestry industry. This is because when community members do not have any work or source of income, they are likely to encroach the forests to support their livelihood.

He also said that forestry sector is crucial for Indonesia because half of the country consists of forest. And Indonesia, he said, is one of 17 countries in the world that is rich in biodiversity.

“Contribution of forestry sector including pulp and paper reaches US$ 21 billion or 3.5% of Indonesia GDP. Further, around 3.8 million people depend on this sector for their livelihood,” he said.

Because of that, to support the development and use of knowledge and information on forestry, Tanoto Foundation collaborates with Bogor Agricultural University and built Tanoto Forestry Information Center. Facilities of the Center include e-library with access to many international journals on forestry, seminar room, student hall, and information panels and videos on forestry.

With all these facilities, Tanoto Forestry Information Center aims to be a center of forestry information in Indonesia, Asia, and the world. The Center will also function as a place of collaboration among different international universities and research organizations. It is hoped that all this effort will support the sustainable use of Indonesian forestry for now and the future.

Chairman of RGE Group Sukanto Tanoto (second from left) exchanged souvenir with Muhammad Dimyati of Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education during TFIC inauguration.

---

Indonesia’s forestry sector will continue to flourish next year if the government provides more support for its development, according to Founder and Chairman of Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) Group Sukanto Tanoto.

“I believe the forestry sector will continue to grow in the future, if the government thinks of its good impact on social welfare but at the same time keeps it in balance with environmental conservation,” he said during the launching of the Tanoto Forestry Information Center at the Bogor Agriculture University (IPB) in Bogor on Monday.

Tanoto Forestry Information Center is a collaborative project between the Tanoto Foundation and IPB to build a library with international journals and discussion centers for local and international researchers on the university campus.

Tanoto said Indonesia could become one of the top five paper producers in the world if only supported by government policies and an awareness on the part of business players for environment-friendly practices.

Indonesia is now the ninth-biggest paper producer in the world, which compares to Canada and Finland in fifth and sixth position, respectively.

“Canada and Finland harvest their trees every 40 to 50 years,” he said. However, these countries had managed to become some of the world’s biggest paper producers because they were supported by proper government policies, said Tanoto, the owner of Asia Pacific Resources International (APRIL).

In Indonesia, trees can be harvested between four to five years.

Meanwhile, APRIL’s subsidiary PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper (RAPP) aims to kick off operations at a third paper mill next September and to soon start work on a clothing fiber factory, PT Sateri Viscose International (SVI), both in Riau.

RAPP president director Tony Wenas said the new Rp 4 trillion (US$285.7 million) paper mill would add 250,000 tons to the company’s present annual capacity of 850,000 tons.
Under the PaperOne brand, the company so far exports around 75 percent of its product to some 75 countries, mostly in Asia. It expects to ship to up to 85 countries by year-end.
Construction of the Rp 14 trillion fiber factory, meanwhile, is planned to commence in the first half of next year. “With the global economic weakness, there is a little decline in demand. This is a very normal economic cycle, so we do not see it pessimistically, but with optimism that it is the right time for us to invest,” Tony told reporters in Bogor on Monday.

Based on Jakarta Post article: Forestry Tycoon Urges More Government Support for the Industry

Sukanto Tanoto (first left) observed a student accessing different international forestry journals at the Center’s e-library.

---

Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) together with Tanoto Foundation inaugurated Tanoto Forestry Information Center, a center of forestry information that will be used by researchers, academia, and students from Indonesia and the region.

Founder of Tanoto Foundation, Sukanto Tanoto said during the inauguration on Monday, December 21, 2015, “Tanoto Forestry Information Center is one of our initiatives to support the development of forestry science in Indonesia. We look forward to wider collaboration with Bogor Agricultural University and other universities and research institutions to further develop research and development.”

“The forestry’s industry and sector is crucial to the economy of Indonesia. To improve the sector’s contribution, Indonesia needs people knowledgeable in forestry. These are the people who can use and develop applicable knowledge. We hope Tanoto Forestry Information Center will produce prominent scientists and practitioners of forestry at the national and international levels,” added Sukanto Tanoto.

Meanwhile, Rector of IPB, Herry Suhardiyanto said, “With Tanoto Forestry Information Center, we can have national policies that are based on scientific research and findings. We also hope Tanoto Forestry Information Center could continue to foster researches that are focused on forestry management.”

In the three storey building that covers 1,500 square meters area, access to international journals is also available in the Center’s e-library. The Center will be open to public to enable easy access to and sharing of different types of forestry information.

The collaboration between IPB and Tanoto Foundation has been taking place since 2006 through activities such as Tanoto Foundation scholarship program and Tanoto Student Research Awards. To date, Tanoto Foundation has provided scholarships for more than 400 undergraduate and graduate students from IPB.

Based on an article on Beritasatu.com; IPB Miliki Pusat Informasi dan Riset Kehutanan.