Jakarta. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry's law enforcement efforts have shown positive signs in eradication environmental crimes across the country, recovering more than a million hectares and preventing at least 22 instances of illegal logging during the past year.

"As seen from the last 17 operations conducted throughout 2016, the ministry managed to recover approximately 1,058,538 hectares of land. If combined with the 27 operations conducted last year, approximately 4,131,736 hectares of land has recovered," Rasio Ridho Sani, director general of law enforcement at the Environment and Forestry Ministry, said in Jakarta on Friday (02/12).

The ministry's law enforcement efforts to prevent destruction and protect forest conservation areas, protected forests and production forests is based on a map of a forest crime vulnerability, Rasio said. Prevention and security include information dissemination, regular patrols and recovery operations.

He added recovery operation in forest areas, which cover 4 million hectares, are conduction to combat illegal logging and illegal use of forests for plantations, mining, resettlement and agricultural cultivation.

Recovery operations have launched in 44 locations across the country, including Mount Leuser National Park, Mount Halimun Salak National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park, Lore Lindu and Mount Rinjani National Park and Airhitam Natural Park.

Plant and wildlife distribution operations has conducted in various forest areas and the nearby vicinity, with 4,666 animals of 34 protected wildlife species targeted in 2016. This is an increase from the previous year, with 21 protected species being saved.

This year, 22 anti-illegal logging operations has saved 647 cubic meters of timber, in 32 sites around the country.

The operations were successful with the help of approximately 8,300 forest police officers and 543 members of the ministry's rapid response unit.