Historical Background

Leuser Ecosystem is an outstanding wilderness in northern Sumatra, Indonesia. It is one of the richest expanses of tropical rain forest in Southeast Asia. Approximately 2.6 million hectares in extent, it is the last place on Earth where elephants, rhinos, tigers, clouded leopards, and orang-utans are found within one area. Moreover, some four million people depend directly on this area for their water resources.
The importance of conserving this area was articulated in the late 1920's, when local leaders in South Aceh objected to Dutch proposals to exploit oil and mineral sources. They were especially eager to protect the Gunung Leuser area, the unoccupied pristine forests of which were considered sacred according to traditional beliefs. After complex negotiations, the Dutch colonial government and Acehnese leaders agreed to conserve extensive parts of the area now known as the Leuser Ecosystem. The first official document to protect the area, the "Tapaktuan Declaration", was signed by both parties on 6 February 1934.
In the 1990's, illegal logging and wildlife poaching posed a serious threat to the existence of the Leuser Ecosystem. Growing concern among traditional and religious leaders prompted them to seek a way to revitalize the old ideas of conservation. A seminar held in Banda Aceh on 12-13 August 1997 resulted in the "Banda Aceh Declaration", a resolution to campaign for the conservation of the Leuser Ecosystem. The declaration was signed by Aceh's most influential leaders. Subsequently, this strong local commitment was endorsed by the Indonesian government through the Presidential Decree No. 33/1998. Following the Tapaktuan and Banda Aceh Declaration, 8 other declarations were also expressed by formal and informal leader around the Leuser Ecosystem including: Langkat Declaration (1998), Aceh Singkil Declaration (2000), Aceh Selatan Declaration (2000), Susoh Declaration (2000), Students' Declaration (2000). Gayo Lues Declaration (2003).

A New Approach

To protect this unique natural heritage, the Indonesian government has embraced a novel mode of conservation management by giving a conservation concession to a non-government organisation, the Leuser International Foundation (LIF). This concession for 30 years gives managerial responsibility to the LIF for all activities within the Leuser Ecosystem. This is the first time in Indonesia that such management has been entrusted to a private organisation. The Foundation manages the Ecosystem on behalf of the government on the basis of a Presidential Decree (Keppres 33/98) issued in February 1998, but for the first 9 nine years, day-to-day work is managed by the Leuser Management Unit (LMU)-a body formed to implement preparation phase of conservation of LE and to develop the expertise needed to continue the management into the future.
Indonesia's informal motto is Unity in Diversity. At least seven ethnic groups live around the Leuser Ecosystem: Gayo, Alas, Acehnese, Batak, Pakpak, Karo, Singkil, and Malay. No indigenous people have ever lived within these northern forests, as far as is known. Traditionally, the Gayo people live mostly in hill country growing tobacco and coffee. The Alas people, as with the Gayo with whom they have some relationship, have developed handicraft industries, producing, for example, finely woven pandan-leaf mats. The Acehnese live mainly adjacent to the park along the west and in the northeast of the Ecosystem and now have extensive irrigated rice fields. The Batak Pakpak hunt wildlife as well as collect forest products such as wild honey and perai beans, while the other Batak group, the Karo, are also typical highlanders but their land extends further south. The Singkil exploit the forests around the park, gathering rattan, resin, and sometimes developing river-side settlements along the major rivers in the the area, including the Alas river. The Melayu are the original coastal dwellers on the eastern shores of Sumatra and, of all the groups in Indonesia, area the ones whose native language is Indonesian.
About four million people from these diverse communities surround the Leuser Ecosystem and an important concept of the conservation of this area is that, if it is properly conserved, the ecological services that emerge from it will be of lasting benefit to these people. A steady supply of water, sustained soil fertility, local climate regulation, flood control, pest mitigation, and even natural beauty (for developing ecotourism) will be available virtually indefinitely, and thus support sustainable development.

The Environment

Geographically, the Leuser Ecosystem lies between 3-4.5° North and 96.5-98° East. It covers approximately 2,6 million ha of tropical rain forest, encompassing 890,000 ha of a designated national park, as well as extensive areas of protection and production forests in northern Sumatra. The ecosystem contains two major volcanoes, three lakes, and nine major river systems that flow to the east and west coasts of the island.
The annual average rainfall for the Leuser Ecosystem is 2.544 mm (in Kutacane), and the mean daily temperature under the forest cover in the lowlands rarely exceeds 26°C during the day, or drops below 22°C at night. In general, the driest months are February and June/July, the wettest usually March/April and September/October/November. The recent climatic disturbances in 1998, however, resulted in a drought from January to May. Even so, the Leuser Ecosystem did not experience the catastrophic fires that devastated so much of southern Sumatra and Kalimantan. Only a small percentage of forest was burnt by uncontrolled field burning by farmers.
The Leuser Ecosystem has an amazing level of biodiversity. Of the 10,000 plant species recorded in the West Indo-Malayan Region, 45% are found in the Leuser Ecosystem. Spectacular plants such as Rafflesia (the largest flower in the world) and Amorphophallus (the tallest flower in the world) are among the plants protected here.

The Future of Leuser

Habitat of biodiversity, including rare mammals, in the Leuser Ecosystem is currently being threatened. Several logging concessions, though not active at present, need to be closed down permanently. A new road project that would effectively destroy the Northern half of the Leuser Ecosystem is being promoted. And encroachment is still occurring in some isolated area.
These challenges need to be addressed and can only do so with very serious support. The Leuser International Foundation is currently setting up a Trust Fund for the conservation of Leuser and eventually it is hoped to have a working capital of 50 million dollars - so that on average the income earned annually will be sufficient to undertake the management of this priceless heritage that the foundation has been charged by presidential Decree in doing. If these ambitious targets can be met, then the future of Leuser will be safeguarded in perpetuity - a precious remnant of Eden.