The United Nations has estimated that the world’s population will be at least 9 billion people by 2050. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has estimated that the total yield and harvest from planted forests will need to increase threefold, with the area under fibre plantations needing to grow by 60% versus 2011 to meet expected demand for fibre in 2050.
APRIL’s goal is to reach a point where all fibre used in its mill comes from renewable and sustainable plantation fibre and to achieve it as soon as possible. Establishment of plantations on APRIL ’sconcessions is an essential step to meeting that goal.
Since establishment, APRIL has had a strict “no burn” policy within our concessions. We also ensure adherence to this policy by our supply partners. We do not use fire in the process of land clearance or plantation establishment.
Sustainable forest management practices are essential to maintaining healthy and productive forests. APRIL’s forest management practices aim to safeguard the quantity and quality of the company’s forest resources by achieving a long-term balance between harvesting and re-growth.
APRIL continues to develop its conservation efforts in Riau Province.
In April 2013, a multi-year ecosystem restoration programme involving the establishment of a peat forest reserve on the Kampar Peninsula of Riau Province, on the east coast of Sumatra, was launched by the Indonesian Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan.
APRIL’s plantation management strategy is to operate high yield production forests in line with world best practice, while protecting conservation areas.
We are guided by the definition of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) laid down by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO): “Achieving a balance between society’s increasing demands for forest products and benefits, and the preservation of critical biodiversity – essential for the survival of forests, and the prosperity of forest dependent communities”.
The fact APRIL has significant operations located on peatland brings additional responsibilities in land management. Our approach to managing peatland concessions is “real world”, based on a “total landscape” perspective and on best-available science. It includes efforts to minimise greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from peat through careful land-use planning and detailed implementation that includes hydrology management.
APRIL’s concessions exist in remote areas and our operations coexist with some villages and local communities. Positive relationships with local communities are essential to our long-term success.
APRIL's concessions exist in remote areas and our operations co-exist with some villages and local communities. Positive relationships with local communities are essential to our long-term success. See Section 5.0.
In 2009, Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry appointed an independent and integrated team of specialists to evaluate APRIL’s land-use planning and water management system on the Kampar Peninsula through a multi-year Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) process. The MRV teams have been active throughout the period of this report and have indicated that the work being undertaken with APRIL may, in time, become a model for other forestry sector participants.
The implementation of MRV is based on four key areas related to peatlands and the establishment of plantations on peatland:
Certification is part of APRIL's commitment to continuous improvement and product and process assurance for stakeholders such as customers, bankers and governments. The company currently holds a diverse portfolio of national and international certifications that provide end-to-end assurance in the areas of efficiency, quality and sustainability. This portfolio covers mill and plantation operations and extends to finished products.
APRIL has maintained strict compliance with all relevant Indonesian legal and regulatory requirements related to its operations. Our code of conduct is rigorously enforced to ensure all employees of the company act lawfully. The company has maintained a comprehensive wood "Chain of Custody" system that ensures no illegal wood enters its supply chain.
During the period of this report, APRIL was not subject to any adverse rulings against it on any matters related to its corporate conduct or legal compliance with Indonesian law.
