BITHE.co — The Apel Green Aceh Foundation warns of the critical condition of the Beutong Ateuh Banggalang Forest in Nagan Raya Regency, which continues to be eroded due to deforestation.

This forest destruction is said to have triggered an increase in the frequency of floods and landslides in the southwestern region of Aceh. "The destruction of forest cover in Beutong Ateuh is very worrying.

"This area used to be the main buffer for the DAS (River Basin Area), but now its function has changed due to illegal logging and encroachment," said APEL Green Aceh Director, Syukur Tadu, Thursday (5/6/2025)

Syukur noted that land conversion and rampant illegal forest clearing have weakened the ecological carrying capacity of the area. Rivers that originate in Beutong Ateuh now often overflow, while the slopes of cleared forests are prone to landslides when heavy rain falls. "The impact is directly felt by people living downstream, from damaged agricultural land to submerged settlements," he said.

"This is no longer just about the environment, but about the safety of people's lives. Damaged forests mean disasters that continue to come," Syukur added.

On the momentum of World Environment Day, the Aceh Green Roll Call specifically calls on the Governor of Aceh, Muzakir Manaf (Mualem), to take concrete and immediate steps in an effort to save the forest in Beutong Ateuh, and more broadly, to protect all remaining forest areas in Aceh.

"As a regional leader, the Governor of Aceh has a moral and political responsibility to stop the increasingly massive forest destruction. It is time for policies not to stop at ceremonies, but to be realized in real action on the ground," he said.

 Furthermore, Syukur emphasized that this call is also in line with the mandate of the Wali Nanggroe Aceh, which emphasizes the importance of preserving forests as part of the heritage of civilization and the dignity of the Acehnese people for their children and grandchildren. "The Wali Nanggroe has reminded that land, water, and forests are sources of life for the Acehnese people that must be preserved.

"Ignoring forest destruction means betraying the historical and cultural mandate of the Acehnese people themselves," Syukur stressed.

He also pushed for strengthening forest patrols, law enforcement against encroachers, and community involvement in local-based conservation efforts. He emphasized that Aceh's ecological future cannot be postponed to be saved.

"Forests are a source of water, clean air, and life. Protecting forests is not an option, but a must," concluded Syukur Tadu.