2018 – 2019 Progress - Leuser Ecosystem Bengkung Trumon Megafauna Sanctuary (BTMS)

In 2018-2019 Global Conservation funded over $300,000 for the deployment of Global Park Defense to protect the Bengkung Trumon Megafauna Sanctuary (BTMS) in the Southwest or Leuser Ecosystem.

Bengkung Trumon Megafauna Sanctuary is a critical 1 million acres wildlife habitat for endangered Sumatran tigers, rhinos, elephants, orangutans and Asian bears, all living together in the wild in one of Asia’s largest intact tropical rainforests.

To read the full progress report - click here.

Illegal land clearing for palm oil plantations inside the Gunung Leuser National Park.

Our primary goal in Bengkung Trumon Megafauna Sanctuary is to establish an effective and fully functioning SMART Patrol system with stronger patrol coverage and frequency, especially in the zones threatened with illegal logging and wildlife poaching, backed up by 24/7 surveillance of roads, trails and rivers against illegal logging and wildlife poaching, as well as illegal land clearing for palm oil plantations.

Leuser Ecosystem spans more than 26,000 square kilometers (10,040 square miles). The Gunung Leuser National Park only covers 3,210 square kilometers (1,240 square miles) and is largely steep mountains which does not include ecologically important lowland forests and peat swamps critical for wildlife. Without national protection, Leuser Ecosystem remains open to unplanned development, dams, mining and palm oil plantations under the provincial government’s land-use plans and by illegal means.

Global Conservation is focusing on the highly defensible 1 million acres Bengkung Trumon Megafauna Sanctuary (BTMS) providing sustained funding and technical support for the deployment of Global Park Defense, and strengthen law enforcement and legal protection across the entire Leuser Ecosystem.

Our Partner in Global Park Defense is Forum Konservation Leuser (FKL), a six-year old local NGO who is leading the protection of Leuser Ecosystem on the ground and from the air using satellites, UAV Drones, Cellular Trailcams, SMART Patrols and park-wide communications to combat illegal logging and wildlife poaching.

Sumatran Tiger (panthera tigris sumatrae). The declining population of Sumatran Tiger in Aceh is mainly caused by illegal hunting and illegal logging activities.  In December 2018, scientists announced there are only 200 Sumatran Tigers Left in Aceh.

Sumatran Rhino are even more endangered, now estimated at less than 80 individuals across the entire landscape, causing great concern of their extinction within a decade.

Previously, illegal logging and wildlife poaching was rampant and unpunished, leading to fears of extinction for critical species, including the world’s last Sumatran Rhino (less than 100 in the wild) and Sumatran Tigers (less than 200 remaining).

Indonesia’s Leuser Ecosystem, on Sumatra’s northern end, is the world’s third-largest rainforest after South America’s Amazon and Africa’s Congo. Spread across 6.5 million acres (over 2.6 million hectares), the Leuser rainforest and surrounding ecosystem is the last place on Earth where rhinos, elephants, tigers, sun bears and orangutans live in the wild.

Due to its importance and outstanding value for mankind and biodiversity, Leuser Ecosystem was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is a primary reason Global Conservation is investing so heavily to deploy Global Park Defense systems in partnership with FKL, the Indonesian Forestry Department, Leuser National Park authorities and local law enforcement.

The Leuser ecosystem is the largest intact rainforest in Sumatra, and a UNESCO World Heritage site that is treasured for its extraordinary biodiversity: it’s the only place left on earth where rhinos, elephants, tigers, and orangutans roam in a single forest. Leuser’s international profile was raised last year when Leonardo DiCaprio visited the rainforest and included scenes of Leuser’s forest in his climate-change documentary Before the Flood.

But according to the provincial government’s most recent forest mapping and special plan, the Leuser Ecosystem, per se, doesn’t exist. The Acehnese regional government’s plan for developing the forest does not acknowledge Leuser Ecosystem as a cohesive habitat and earmarks more than half of the ecosystem for potential development, in a stark break from previous government plans for the forest.

Leuser Ecosystem is Asia’s largest remaining tract of intact forest, but Indonesia is destroying its rainforests at one of the fastest rates of any other country in the world. WWF estimates that well over half of Sumatra Island’s rainforest has been cut down over the past decade to make way for palm-oil plantations.

Highlights on Leuser Progress with Global Conservation Support

Deployment of Global Park Defense Systems

With Global Park Defense, Leuser Ecosystem rangers to be highly effective over large areas, while improving morale and ensuring support from park authorities and law enforcement.   With Global Conservation support, FKL Rangers conduct more intensive patrols by extending longer patrol days and patrol distance to give better protection. Global Park Defense in Leuser has become a model for other parks in Indonesia and neighboring countries who come for training. 

FKL deploys Cellular Traicams along the boundary of the parks helps to intercept poachers, making foot patrol a more effective law enforcement tool in order cover the vast areas of Leuser. Vehicle patrols along the border have been helpful to detect fresh signs of illegal logging and wildlife poaching gangs.

By providing surveillance in remote areas to arrest poachers both before and after they cut rosewood and kill wildlife, we are significantly increasing arrest rates.   Cellular Trailcams require maintenance, replacement, recharging of cellular phone SIM cards, batteries, and human analysis of photographs and poacher arrest data to keep shifting them to effective locations.   

Expansion of Wildlife and Forest Protection Teams  (WPTs)

In Bengkung Trumon Megafauna Sanctuary from 4 to 7 and overall FKL now deploys 26 WPT ranger teams around Leuser - the most of any NGO in an Indonesian landscape.

Many logging trucks and weapons have been seized along with many wildlife snares and poacher camps destroyed.  The best news is many poachers were arrested before they killed wildlife.

Major Arrests - Wildlife Poachers in Leuser

FKL teams escorted 10 wildlife poachers from the forest to the Aceh Selatan police station. The police only arrested 3 of the poachers (originating from West Sumatra province) and gave warnings to the two locals who acted as their guides in the forest.

Global Conservation funded Wildlife and Forest Protection Teams, as well as supported group life and medical insurance with the goal to improve morale and incentivize rangers.

There are now 42 FKL Rangers protecting Bengkung Trumon Megafauna Sanctuary, an increase of 30 new rangers since Global Conservation began funding. We are also securing equal matching contributions and funding for land purchases, ranger salaries, new station construction and vehicles for rangers.

Global Conservation funds critically needed equipment, training and support for patrol operations – supplies, fuel, food, maintenance of vehicles to enhance ranger performance, incentivize rangers, and improve the quality of law enforcement in the area.

The illegal poaching of wild animals continues, with a slight increase in the number of traps seized from 814 in 2017 to 834 in 2018. From 2014 to 2018, the FKL found 5,529 traps from forest areas, ranging from small traps to large ones for wild animals such as tigers.

Stopping Illegal Logging

FKL executed major arrests for illegal logging in 2018-2019.  Regular collaborative law enforcement operations with Aceh Selatan District Police has developed a very positive relationship between the institutions. The local police in Aceh Selatan now uses FKL as their number one source for illegal forest activity data. They often initiate contact with FKL’s Law Enforcement Coordinator which is a major positive change – primarily they seek our help to follow up on major forest crime cases.

A WhatsApp group has even been created and other environmental NGOs and police Special Crimes Unit officers to facilitate regular and rapid communication. These are all positive signs that authorities are devoting more time and energy to forest and wildlife crime than ever before.

A raid operation in Lae Soraya district caught 4 suspects transporting illegal timber in Jabi-Jabi village, Sultan Daulat subdistrict. The team seized 2 transport trucks, 40 tons of illegal timber and arrested 4 perpetrators.

The joint law enforcement team caught the 4 perpetrators red-handed. They were transporting illegal timber onto a truck (left) and 4 perpetrators were arrested by Aceh Singkil police and were interrogated (right). Below: 40 tons of illegal logs were confiscated and after the interrogation of the 4 perpetrators,

FKL were able to track down the location of their logging site inside a Protected Forest area in Sultan Daulat subdistrict, Subulussalam on 17 April. We found 2 logging camps but no further perpetrators on site. The perpetrators arrested will be investigated further and the police will process their case until trial in court. Aceh Selatan police confiscated the boat used to transport illegal timber in Pasie Lembang, Aceh Selatan.

Top: Encroaching Oil Palm Plantations inside the Gunung Leuser National Park. FKL, national park authorities and the local community took coordinates and measured the palm oil concession of PT JKM (Jaya Kumita Mulia) which was reported to pass beyond the national park boundary.

Bottom: FKL received intel from the MMU that a truck was transporting timber near PT Laot Bangko concession in Sultan Daulat subdistrict, Subulussalam. On 26 April 2018, a team consisting of Aceh Singkil Police, KPH VI, and FKL conducted an operation near the site. The team found two trucks transporting 8 tons of wood without legal permits. The team confiscated the trucks and the illegal timber. The four suspects were brought to Aceh Singkil HQ for further investigation.

Throughout 2018- 1st Half 2019, FKL found 2,418 cases of illegal logging that damaged 4,354 square meters of the forested areas, as well as 1,838 cases of encroachment covering 7,546.3 ha and 108 cases of deforestation related to road construction projects along 194 kilometers.

Ranger Training

FKL Rangers have learned various tactical and technical techniques including: arrest techniques, firearms, self-defense, maps, compass, GPS, SMART patrol data form.  We also distributed high quality uniforms and camp gear to each of them to boost their morale and increase patrol effectiveness.

Scaling Up SMART Patrols

SMART enable proactive patrolling based on the analysis of all arrests and illegal intrusion locations and the frequencies of all threats, enabling rangers to be deployed more precisely to intercept poachers as they come in and out of the park.  We placed Global Park Defense systems in the areas with highest recorded poacher activities. It is evident that anti-poaching cameras have already significantly improved law enforcement efforts in Leuser Ecosystem.

Major Dam Cancelled

With our funding and Wildlife Asia, Leuser legal and policy teams were able to defeat a major hydro dam from being built in heart of Leuser Ecosystem. 

See: Indonesian court cancels dam project in last stronghold of tigers, rhinos

Soraya Research and Ranger Station Now Operational

Over 120 scientists have utilized the Soraya Station in 2018-2019, and regular wildlife patrols against illegal land clearing and wildlife crimes.

Dropping Deforestation Rate

Deforestation in Leuser Ecosystem has decreased each year since 2016. The decline in deforestation is due to better law enforcement and intensifying campaigns to protect the endangered ecosystem, as well as a new Integrated Forest Management [KPH] unit with law enforcement enforcers, as well as increased public awareness.

Good news - Decline in deforestation between 2015 and 2018.

Deforestation in Indonesia’s Aceh province last year fell 18 percent from 2016 — a trend activists attribute to better law enforcement and intensified campaigning about the importance of protecting the unique Leuser Ecosystem. Another factor is a national government moratorium on oil palm plantations clearing peatlands, but this hasn’t stopped many such operators from acting with impunity.

Major Conservation Land Purchases

In Bengkung Trumon, Global Conservation, with critical support from the Quick Response Biodiversity Fund (QRBF), Cronin Foundation and Weeden Foundation, FKL has purchased over 124.7 ha along Suaq river directly adjacent to Gunung Leuser National Park.

UAV Drone Missions

FKL flew over 100 UAV Drone missions to photograph deforestation in the Leuser Ecosystem.  Over 260 land clearings and illegal logging incidences were reported and shared with local authorities and community leaders.

New Logging Moratorium

The Indonesian government in 2016 declared a ban on clearing forests for oil palm plantations, in a bid to protect lowland forests in the Leuser Ecosystem. The moratorium was cemented via a memo ordering all palm oil firms to stop clearing forest, even if they already had licenses, pending a review of those permits. While the moratorium might have contributed to the slowdown in the deforestation rate, many companies and villages continue to slash away at the critical ecosystem, in clear defiance of the ban.

Threats and Challenges

New Road Development

The one threat that poses the biggest threat to forests in Aceh and the Leuser Ecosystem is road development. In 2018, some 440 kilometers (273 miles) of roadway were built across the Leuser Ecosystem. Hundreds more kilometers are planned, including through Gunung Leuser National Park. With paved road slicing through highly sensitive areas of the ecosystem, conservationists worry that encroachment and habitat loss are inevitable.

But proponents of the project say it serves to connect isolated villages and spur economic activity in Aceh province, which remains underdeveloped as a result of decades of separatist conflict and the devastation wrought by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Major Fires Ravaging Sumatra and Leuser Ecosystem

In both 2018 and 2019, massive man-made forest fires burned large swaths of Sumatra mostly to open up new lands for palm oil plantations. Indonesia’s Disaster Mitigation Agency said more than 3,600 fires had been detected on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo by weather satellites, leading to very poor air quality in six provinces with a combined population of more than 23 million.

Major Arrests for Wildlife Crime

In October, 2018, Indonesia’s Aceh implemented the harshest penalty yet for a wildlife crime when two men who tried to sell a tiger pelt received four-year sentences. In the past, sentences for wildlife traffickers have typically been low. Activists are pushing to revise the law to increase the maximum five-year penalty for wildlife crimes, but courts have tended to impose even lower sentences.

See: Indonesia’s Aceh sees harshest penalty yet for a wildlife crime

The tiger skin confiscated by the South Aceh Police from the two men who were sentenced earlier this month. Image courtesy of Forum Konservasi Leuser.

The conviction by the court in Aceh came just a day after a court in Lampung, another province on the island of Sumatra, sentenced five men to three years in prison and fined them 50 million rupiah each for a similar offense. Three of the men trapped and killed a tiger in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to a tenth of all remaining Sumatran tigers, before cutting it up and selling the parts to the two other defendants.

Last year, two tiger-skin traders in Riau province, also in Sumatra, were sentenced to four years in prison. Sarkawi Bin Warigo, 41, and Sabaruddin Bin M. Yusak, 45, were arrested last July. During the trial, they refused to be accompanied by a lawyer, court records show. In addition to the jail sentence handed down on Oct. 18, the court also ordered them to pay 50 million rupiah ($3,300) each in fines or serve an additional four months in jail.

Sapto Aji Prabowo, head of the Aceh branch of the government’s Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), commended the prosecution’s handling of the case, but warned the trade would continue if demand for animal parts went unaddressed. “We’re still finding animal snares during our forest patrols,” he said. “If the buyers aren’t caught, the tigers will keep being hunted.”

Global Conservation is funding both FKL and WCS Wildlife Crime Unit (WCU), who has been instrumental in this investigation and prosecution work, as well as FKL.

In July 2018, two suspected poachers were arrested for killing a Sumatran elephant. FKL and Indonesian authorities have arrested two of four suspects alleged to have killed a rare Sumatran elephant and hacked off one of its tusks. There are only an estimated 2,400 Sumatran elephants left in the wild, scattered across 25 fragmented habitats on the island.

Indonesia’s 1990 Conservation Law allows for a maximum five-year jail sentence for wildlife crimes. Conservationists say the sentencing guidelines are in dire need of change. Light sentences are common and this fails to deter traffickers, they say. Efforts have been made to revise the law to allow for harsher sentencing.

2018 – 2019 Progress - Leuser Ecosystem Bengkung Trumon Megafauna Sanctuary (BTMS)

To read the full progress report - click here.