Lebak, Dec. 5 -- The Banten Environment and Forestry Office (DLH) reported 200,000 hectares of critical forest area, mainly in Lebak and Pandeglang, prompting the local government to conduct yearly reforestation through continuous tree-planting programs.

"We hope that the planting and preservation initiatives will restore these critical forest areas," said Wawan Gunawan, Head of the Banten DLH, during the closure of illegal gold mining pits in the Mount Halimun Salak National Park conservation forest area in Lebak on Friday.

The 200,000 hectares of damaged critical forest areas in Banten comprise critical and very critical areas, some of which are located within conservation forest areas and some outside productive forest areas.

The lo...