Greening Plant Area, Semen Baturaja Apply Silvicultural Technology

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta, PT Semen Baturaja (Persero) Tbk (SMBR) in collaboration with the Faculty of Forestry of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Yogyakarta to improve the quality of environmental management in SMBR factory area located in Baturaja, South Sumatera Province by applying Silviculture technology.

President Director of SMBR, Rahmad Pribadi, said that for the time being, raw material industries are extractive, such as oil and gas companies, mining, including cement factories in it only focus on exploitation, even over exploitation of resources nature (SDA).

"As a SOE, Semen Baturaja (SMBR), present to change perception if the cement industry is synonymous with damage to the environment, SMBR tries to minimize the impact of environmental damage, from upstream to downstream," said Rahmad at JCC, Jakarta (21/9/2017 ).

Furthermore, Rahmad revealed, currently SMBR not only can take raw materials from nature but also contribute to nature so that the balance of ecosystem and environmental sustainability is maintained.

"So the process of giving and receiving from and to nature can continue in a sustainable way. If continuity can be continuously maintained, then the company's progress can be directly proportional to environmental sustainability," he said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Silviculture Engineering Team of the Faculty of Forestry UGM for Semen Baturaja, Sri Danarto, said silviculture engineering is an attempt to apply an appropriate silvicultural engineering approach to site specific conditions.

"The silvicultural engineering applied at the plant site is chosen based on organic principles, nutrient availability inputs, suitability of species based on land criticality and ecosystem function, natural nitrogen producers, wildlife feed stock, including aesthetics and fruit production to benefit the surrounding community," Sri said.

Sri added, the types of plants selected to be planted in the factory area include Cemara Belitung, Cemara Udang, Durian, Matoa, Kol Banda, Meranti to Ashoka. "The plants have many functions, ranging from moisturizing to absorbing dust and sound," he added.