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The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia welcomed the issuance of President Instruction (Inpres) No.6/2013 that continues the forestry moratorium for the next two years.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s policy aims to improve forest and peat land management in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

“The most important thing is the need to set clear work targets, including the creation of a single, unified forest map; to accelerate the completion of spatial planning bylaws in areas targeted by the moratorium; and to synchronize the central and local government regulations on natural resource management,” said WWF Indonesia’s CEO Efransjah in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The moratorium prohibits new exploitation permits for primary forests and peat lands in conservation forests, protected forests and production forests. The moratorium will also apply to other forest areas included in the new indicative moratorium map.

WWF Indonesia’s director for conservation, Nazir Foead, said the extension was a chance for more improvement in forestry licensing, including permits on forest leases and the use of wood forest products taken from natural forests.