SSMS Focuses on Environmentally Friendly Business
PT Sawit Sumbermas Sarana Tbk. (SSMS) focuses on environmentally sound business practices in running its business. SSMS has carried out various green initiatives to realize this commitment, including managing and preserving areas with High Conservation Value (NKT) and High Carbon Stock (SKT), including habitats and flora and fauna ecosystems around the company's operational areas.
Chief Sustainability Officer Henky Satrio W. said that to ensure the sustainability of its business, SSMS is managing HCV-SKT areas as closely as possible in the form of area protection by demarcating forest areas, rivers, and springs.
Henky explained that in all these areas, SSMS routinely monitors and patrols the area, puts up warning and prohibition boards, and enriches conservation plant species such as Meranti, Ironwood, Galam, and Guava. This activity is carried out independently in the Nursery area, which is spread across each operational area.
"At the beginning of 2024, the SSMS conservation team has carried out monitoring of flora and fauna (biodiversity) in four business units spread across West Kotawaringin, Lamandau, Pulang Pisau, and Kapuas, specifically for animal monitoring, which is carried out every six months," said Henky.
Henky said that the results of these monitoring activities would later be included in a scientific report containing information regarding the number, level of species diversity, and protection status.
“Several types of rare animals are still found in the SKT-NKT area. This indicates that the existing ecosystem is still well maintained so that it becomes a comfortable and safe habitat that supports wildlife for animals such as orangutans (Pongo Pygmaeus), Kalimantan Gibbons (Hylobates Albibarbis), White-bellied Kangkareng (Anthracoceros Albirostris), Asian Pupuk-Ular (Anhinga Melanogaster), gray langur (Trachypithecus Cristatus), weling (Bungarus Candidus)," he added.
Apart from that, in this conservation area we can still find rare plant species such as Red Balau or Belangeran (Shorea Balangeran), Meranti Bunga (Shorea leprosula), Ironwood (Eusideroxylon Zwageri), Pampakin (Durio Kutejensis), Keledang (Artocarpus Lowii).
Another initiative carried out by SSMS is conducting outreach and outreach to communities around the HCV-SKT area. Through this activity, the company provides the public with an understanding of the importance of the existence of this area. With the hope that the community can participate in maintaining and preserving the existence of conservation areas around them.
On the same occasion, Henky added that SSMS is also committed to maintaining and preserving conservation areas outside operational areas through social forestry group empowerment programs and environmental partnerships with farmer groups.
"until 2024, SSMS has partnered with five Forest Farming Groups (KTH), namely KTH Masyarakat Karya Masoraian, which is located in Kotawaringin Lama, for the West Kotawaringin area there are three KTH including KTH Danau Seluluk Jaya, KTH Tani Sejati, KTH Mawar Bersemi while in the area "Kapuas, precisely in PetaK Puti Village, SSMS also partners with the Village Forest Management Institute (LPHD)," he said.
"In managing the community forest area, SSMS involves related agencies such as joint patrol activities and regular guarding of forest areas, providing facilities and infrastructure for handling forest and land fires, as well as installing forest and land fires signboards and building forest area guard posts," added Henky.
Not only that, SSMS carries out community empowerment through efforts to increase knowledge, skills and management as well as economic development for each KTH member.
At the end of 2023, SSMS and USAID SEGAR will collaborate to monitor flora and fauna in Tanjung Trantang Village and Karang Anyar (Kobar) Hamlet. In this activity, SSMS involved members of KTH Danau Seluluk Jaya, KTH Tani Sejati, and KTH Mawar Bersemi to carry out monitoring activities.
It is hoped that this partnership can be an example for palm oil industry players to contribute positively to the protection and preservation of forest areas, as well as preserving biodiversity in the areas around them, considering the high potential threat of destruction due to forest fires, encroachment, and illegal logging.
