Protect critical habitat for elephants, tigers, rhinos and orangutans

The Leuser Ecosystem is the last place on Earth where orangutans, rhinos, elephants and tigers coexist in the wild. This landscape spans over 6 million acres and houses the largest intact forest remaining on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. It also contains a range of diverse habitats, from coastal peat swamps to high mountain tops, allowing for many unique and diverse species to thrive.

Rainforest Trust and local partner Forum Konservasi Leuser (FKL) have been working together since 2016 to protect a critical portion of the Leuser. Our two organizations now seek to build on that success safeguarding 2,121 acres of land, bringing the total land protected to 4,000 acres.

By securing and recovering the original ecology, an Asian Elephant population will be able to migrate to its rich riparian lowlands to feed, and further south of the valley to reconnect with the Asian Elephants of the neighboring Bengkung Basin. Through acquiring this land, FKL will extend a protected wildlife corridor vital to these and other threatened species.

Stop commercial development

Human settlement into this region has resulted in the conversion of forest into oil palm plantations, exposing wildlife to poaching and creating easier access for illegal logging and mining. New development for infrastructure such as hydropower and road construction also threatens to further damage the ecosystem, making it an urgent conservation priority.

One of FKL’s largest priorities is to stop encroachment on the protected and surrounding areas through patrols and management. These teams stop illegal activities like poaching and prevent forest crimes like slash and burn land clearing. The partner has a large network of rangers who patrol the Aceh province.

Support local communities

Your support will allow FKL to educate the local communities of northern Sumatra in sustainable resource use, giving them the skills necessary to conserve their forests and rivers and allow them to live in harmony with their environment while protecting it to secure a healthy, happy future. So far, this has included the construction of a community building that serves as a communications hub and discussion area for their conservation efforts. They are also recruiting community members to patrol the protected area to stop deforestation and poaching in order to ensure this incredible ecosystem is sustained for future generations.