Jakarta, 23 January 2026 – Weda Bay Nickel’s commitment to implementing responsible mining practices has been clearly demonstrated. This commitment is reflected through its environmental preservation efforts, marked by the successful completion of all Watershed Rehabilitation (DAS) obligations in North Maluku Province. The total rehabilitation area reached 4,140 hectares and has been officially declared successful by the Ministry of Forestry through the Directorate General of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation (PDASRH).
Based on the results of an intensive evaluation by the Directorate General of PDASRH, all phases of watershed rehabilitation carried out by Weda Bay Nickel met the success indicators stipulated under Ministerial Regulation of Environment and Forestry No. 23 of 2021. The plant survival rate reached at least 95.16 percent of the initial planting total, and the assessment results were accepted without any additional remarks.
“Watershed rehabilitation is not merely about fulfilling regulatory obligations, but part of our long-term vision to ensure that mining operations run in harmony with ecosystem recovery,” said Marudut Hutabalian, Forestry Permitting Supervisor of PT Weda Bay Nickel, in a statement delivered in Jakarta, Friday (23/01/2026).
As a holder of a Forest Area Utilization Approval (PPKH), Weda Bay Nickel began implementing its watershed rehabilitation obligations in 2020. Marudut explained that the rehabilitation activities were carried out gradually across five regencies: Central Halmahera, West Halmahera, East Halmahera, South Halmahera, and North Halmahera.
“The rehabilitation program was implemented comprehensively, starting from land inventory and the preparation of technical designs, followed by planting and maintenance during the first and second years through replanting, weed control, and fertilization,” Marudut explained.
Marudut further elaborated on the staged implementation of rehabilitation activities across several phases. These began with Phase 1 (2020), covering 1,075 hectares in Central Halmahera; Phase 2 (2022), covering 866 hectares in West Halmahera and East Halmahera; Phase 3 (2024), covering 930 hectares in West Halmahera; Phase 4 (2024), covering 349 hectares in South Halmahera; and Phase 5 (2025), covering 920 hectares in North Halmahera.
In its implementation, Marudut stated that Weda Bay Nickel planted a combination of forest timber species and Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP/HHBK). The timber species included Nyatoh, Matoa, Gofasa, Gosale, Bintangur, Gmelina, Sengon Laut, and Trembesi. Meanwhile, the NTFP species comprised productive plants such as Nutmeg, Durian, Kenari, Cashew, Duku, and Rambutan.
“The selection of NTFP species like Nutmeg and Durian is also intended to enable local communities to gain economic benefits from forest products in the future,” Marudut added.
With the completion of these obligations, Weda Bay Nickel hopes that the hydrological and ecological functions of watersheds in North Maluku can be fully restored, while also supporting national efforts to mitigate climate change through natural carbon sequestration.
