As part of our ongoing research into sustainable land management in the region, SIIA Chairman Simon Tay and the SIIA team visited Kerinci and Pekanbaru in Riau Province, Indonesia, from 15–17 July to gain deeper insights into peatland management, fire prevention and ecosystem conservation.
The team toured the operations of APRIL, one of Indonesia’s leading pulp and paper companies, in Kerinci. The visit included a tour of a fire management post and discussions with a fire ranger involved in the Fire Free Village Programme, an initiative that works closely with local communities to promote zero-burning practices and strengthen fire prevention efforts. The delegation also visited APRIL’s Restorasi Ekosistem Riau (RER), one of the largest privately funded ecosystem restoration projects in Indonesia.
In Pekanbaru, the team met officials from the Riau Provincial Government and the Regional Disaster Management Agency (Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah, BPBD) to better understand preparations for the fire and haze season in the context of an El Niño and positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) year.
Discussions also covered the Riau Provincial Government’s Green for Riau (G4RI) initiative, which brings together environmental conservation, sustainable development and fire and haze prevention under a coordinated provincial strategy to build long-term resilience.
The team also met with representatives from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to learn from civil society perspectives on fire prevention and sustainable land management. These discussions complemented engagements with government and industry, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities in Riau.
We thank our Indonesian partners for their warm hospitality and the valuable exchanges throughout the visit. We look forward to continuing our multi-stakeholder engagement and dialogue to strengthen sustainable land management and enhance fire and haze resilience across the region.
(From left to right) Mr Dennis Tan, Senior Vice President, Group External Affairs, RGE; Ms Desita Kusumaningrum, Communications Officer, RER; Ms Lucita Jasmin, Group Director of Sustainability, RGE; Ms Camelia Gunawan, Senior Policy Analyst, Policy Programmes; Ms Evelyn Tan, Assistant Director, Policy Programmes; Mr Simon Tay, SIIA Chairman; Mr Aaron Choo, Senior Assistant Director, Special Projects and Sustainability; and Mr John Pereira Head of Operations, RER, at APRIL’s Restorasi Ekosistem Riau (RER), one of the largest privately funded ecosystem restoration projects in Indonesia. (Photo: SIIA)
(From left to right) Mr Dennis Tan, Senior Vice President, Group External Affairs, RGE; Ms Evelyn Tan, Assistant Director, Policy Programmes; Ms Lucita Jasmin, Group Director of Sustainability, RGE; Mr Simon Tay, SIIA Chairman; Mr Aldo Joson, Head, Sustainability Operations (Fibre and Mill), APRIL; Mr Aaron Choo, Senior Assistant Director, Special Projects and Sustainability; Ms Camelia Gunawan, Senior Policy Analyst, Policy Programmes; Ms Sharon Chong, Vice President, Group Sustainability and External Affairs, RGE; and Mr Charles Hogan, Vice President, Sustainability and Communications, RGE, at the RGE Technology Center. (Photo: SIIA)
The SIIA and APRIL Water Table Management Team. (Photo: SIIA)
(From left to right) Ms Evelyn Tan, Assistant Director, Policy Programmes; Mr M Edy Afrizal, Head of the Riau BPDB (regional disaster management agency); Drs Helmi D, M.Pd, Assistant II, Economics and Development, Riau Secretariat Provincial Government; Mr Simon Tay, SIIA Chairman; Mr Aaron Choo, Senior Assistant Director, Special Projects and Sustainability; and Ms Camelia Gunawan, Senior Policy Analyst, Policy Programmes. (Photo: SIIA)
(From left to right) SIIA team with the WRI Riau team. (Photo: SIIA)
Read the media reports of the the trip:
