Deforestation in Central Halmahera Surges, Nickel Mining Blamed

Image: article cover, from B et al. (2025), Jurnal Wasian, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

A research team from Khairun University has found that deforestation in Central Halmahera Regency, North Maluku, peaked in 2014–2015. The study, published in the Journal Wasian, used remote sensing data from Global Forest Change to map changes in forest cover across the area between 2001 and 2022.

According to the research, Weda and Maba Districts were the areas most severely affected by deforestation in 2014–2017. The conversion of forest land into nickel mining areas is cited as the cause of considerable damage at several locations. In the period 2001–2013, average forest loss was recorded at 1,435.43 hectares per year. That figure rose sharply in 2014–2015, reaching 8,852.506 hectares, before beginning to decline in 2016 and 2017.

These findings matter for forest-dependent communities and for the regional government in Central Halmahera. The pattern of land-cover change driven by human needs, above all mining expansion, shows that pressure on forests comes not only from logging but also from land clearing for extractive industry. Data of this kind can provide a basis for drafting land-use policies that better protect forest areas in North Maluku.

Source and how to cite

This story is based on the research article Deforestation Trends and Drivers in Central Halmahera Regency by Sabaruddin B, Andy Kurniawan and Nurfadhilah Arif, published in Jurnal Wasian Vol. 11 No. 1 (2025). The full article is free to read on the Jurnal Wasian website.

Cite the original article (APA 7):

B, S., Kurniawan, A., & Arif, N. (2025). Deforestation Trends and Drivers in Central Halmahera Regency. Jurnal Wasian, 11(1), 15–19. https://doi.org/10.62142/t6n6m231

If you use these findings in coursework, a thesis or other writing, cite the original article above, not this news story. The original article is licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.