The logging companies operating in West Papua's forests include PT Djayanti Group, PT Barito Pacific Timber Group, PT Porodisa Group, PT Kayo Lapis Indonesia Group, PT Mutiara Group, PT You Lim Sari, PT Astra    (all     Indonesian), Manlbeni, Sagindo (Japanese), and Manlberamo (Australia).Lavalin  (Canada)  has  been engaged in survey work.Bad logging practices Indonesia's logging practices are notoriously bad.  Logging roads are being carelessly constructed in previously inaccessible areas. This is leading to soil erosion and consequent silting of rivers. Roads are routinely built over minor streams; resulting in strings  of  roadside  standing pools, which produce unusually high concentrations of mosquitoes, increasing the threat of malaria and other diseases. Logs are dragged out to the main road by heavy machinery, resulting in a dense network of bulldozer tracks and further destruction of forest.
According to government regulations, logging in concessions is supposed to be selective, but these regulations are rarely enforced, and massive areas of pristine forest is clearfelled. The timber industry also suffers from corrupt practices with authorities acknowledging that illegal logging in the country has reached worrying levels.Forests and the people The forests of West Papua are traditionally utilised by the indigenous West Papuans in every aspect of their lives. The forests offer a wealth of natural resources for hunting and gathering.They are home to wild pig, tree kangaroos, cuscus and wild birds. They are used for constructing materials for huts, tools, weapons, and for medicines and cloth.
The Asmat and Moi people, in particular, rely on the sage palm. A family can harvest enough sago in one day to last them for two weeks. However, sago is now being harvested commercially for baby gruel and biscuits, with West Papuan workers being paid 75 cents per day for their labour. The exploitation of sago is consuming-whole forests of this life-giving tree and is alterinig forever the lives of the native people.
The indigenous people are resisting the wholesale destruction of their customary forests. In 1990 the government granted a logging concession of 339,000 ha to the Intimpura Timber Company, without informing the  customary landowners, the Moi. The Moi have continued to resist the encroachment of the company on their land, and have made representations to the company, local government, forestry service and the army. (In Indonesia, the army assists in national development and was in fact the initial owner of the logging concession). However, the government, company and the army remain firm in their policy of not recognising any form of land rights.As the Moi have continued to protest, they have been accused of being "security disturbers" (the official term for the OPM, and used to silence any form of indigenous protest)."All of the streams have dried up and become muddy. And the fish which we used to catch in them have simply disappeared...and the water is not clear anymore. It's the same with the damar trees. Also with the sa~o trees. And the birds of paradise have also disappeared; They have flown away to other places.... Mosquitos have come into the village and infest our houses. When we go into the forest to look for anythingsuch as cempedak fruit we have to brush the! mosquitoes off like this ~brushes arm)...We don't want PT Intimpura to continue operating here" A man from Aimas village. Endangered Peoples Project, February 1992 To exploit the country's resources fully, the government has given the construction of roads a high priority.These roads are being constructed in previously inaccessible areas. The largest  road  being  build  in  the province is the Trans-Irian Highway running North/South along the entire PNG/West Papua border. However a major road network is planned for the whole province. Roads spreading into the interior create access for the logging  trucks  and  transmigration camps.
So far the only protection of the environment seems to be an impetus forged in 1977 when the 'World Wide Fund for Nature' joined forces with the  'World  Conservation  Union' (IUCN)  and  the  Indonesian Government to develop a comprehensive conservation program.
According to a 1992 WWF Fact Sheet, up to 20 per cent of the province, in fifty seven areas, and including 12 marine areas, have been proposed or designated as protected areas. At first glance this would seem to be an impressive proportion of the country, but some of these areas are already being violated by various activities. In the future these reserves will come under even more pressure as the Indonesian development program gathers pace.
If the destruction of forests continues at its current rate West Papua could lose two thirds of its forests by the year 2000.