Jakarta, Oct. 1 -- Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said peatland use must generate economic benefits for local communities while preserving the ecosystems' ecological functions.

"It is about how communities can maximize the use of peatlands without damaging the peat ecosystem itself," Antoni said after a workshop on establishing the National Peat and Mangrove Management Agency (BPGMN) in Jakarta on Thursday.

Peatland management is expected to go beyond simply restoring damaged areas to encompass protection, rehabilitation, restoration, and sustainable economic use.

"It involves not just restoration, but the entire spectrum from protection, rehabilitation, and restoration to economic benefits," he said.

Antoni emphasized that BPGMN'...