POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - Amid the ongoing global pandemic, the Rawa Singkil wildlife reserve, the largest peat forest landscape in the Leuser Ecosystem, is still largely intact. This impressive wildlife reserve, which stretches along the coast of southern Aceh, is larger than Singapore.
The Leuser Ecosystem, which is more than 35 times the size of Singapore and mostly lies in Aceh with parts in North Sumatra, is the only place on earth cohabitated by Sumatran orangutans, tigers, elephants and rhinos.
In January last year, as reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS, Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya pointed out that over 95% of the wildlife reserve was still composed of intact peat forests.
The latest evidence (Jan 20) demonstrates that, to a great extent, the Rawa Singkil wildlife reserve remains unimpaired, according to Minister Nurbaya in a virtual discussion on spatial monitoring and ground-based observation of the country's conservation areas during the COVID-19 outbreak (Feb 2).
“The Rawa Singkil wildlife reserve is the only peat forest landscape on earth which is home to multiple flagship species. We are really grateful that we have been able to maintain the area’s level of intactness during the global pandemic,” she said.
Based on the USGS time-series based satellite images below, which are backed up by ground-based monitoring and verification, Minister Nurbaya has proved that more than 95% of the peat forests in the Rawa Singkil wildlife reserve are still intact.
The other core part of the Leuser Ecosystem, besides the Rawa Singkil wildlife reserve, is Gunung Leuser National Park where Sumatran rhinos were recently spotted.
Carbon sequestration, sustainable development
Minister Nurbaya emphasized that the Leuser Ecosystem not only hosts multiple flagship species, but also plays a significant role in carbon sequestration and in creating sustainable development.
“The Leuser Ecosystem is an important source of sustainable development, including by ensuring community livelihoods, especially in Aceh and parts of North Sumatra,” she explained.
Minister Nurbaya emphasized that the overall economic value of carbon sequestration from the Leuser Ecosystem has in fact multiple economic values compared to other ecosystems, because the Leuser Ecosystem is inhabited by multiple flagship species, unlike any other ecosystem in the world.
The December 2013 Aceh spatial plan removed the Leuser Ecosystem’s boundaries, to which Minister Nurbaya responded by reincorporating these boundaries into the Aceh spatial plan by ministerial decree in November 2016.
This historic legal move means that the Leuser Ecosystem’s boundaries continue to form an inseparable part of the Aceh spatial plan.
RELATED STORIES
POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - Amid the ongoing global pandemic, the Rawa Singkil wildlife reserve, the largest peat forest landscape in the Leuser Ecosystem, is still largely intact. This impressive wildlife reserve, which stretches along the coast of southern Aceh, is larger than Singapore.
The Leuser Ecosystem, which is more than 35 times the size of Singapore and mostly lies in Aceh with parts in North Sumatra, is the only place on earth cohabitated by Sumatran orangutans, tigers, elephants and rhinos.
In January last year, as reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS, Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya pointed out that over 95% of the wildlife reserve was still composed of intact peat forests.
The latest evidence (Jan 20) demonstrates that, to a great extent, the Rawa Singkil wildlife reserve remains unimpaired, according to Minister Nurbaya in a virtual discussion on spatial monitoring and ground-based observation of the country's conservation areas during the COVID-19 outbreak (Feb 2).
“The Rawa Singkil wildlife reserve is the only peat forest landscape on earth which is home to multiple flagship species. We are really grateful that we have been able to maintain the area’s level of intactness during the global pandemic,” she said.
Based on the USGS time-series based satellite images below, which are backed up by ground-based monitoring and verification, Minister Nurbaya has proved that more than 95% of the peat forests in the Rawa Singkil wildlife reserve are still intact.
The other core part of the Leuser Ecosystem, besides the Rawa Singkil wildlife reserve, is Gunung Leuser National Park where Sumatran rhinos were recently spotted.
Carbon sequestration, sustainable development
Minister Nurbaya emphasized that the Leuser Ecosystem not only hosts multiple flagship species, but also plays a significant role in carbon sequestration and in creating sustainable development.
“The Leuser Ecosystem is an important source of sustainable development, including by ensuring community livelihoods, especially in Aceh and parts of North Sumatra,” she explained.
Minister Nurbaya emphasized that the overall economic value of carbon sequestration from the Leuser Ecosystem has in fact multiple economic values compared to other ecosystems, because the Leuser Ecosystem is inhabited by multiple flagship species, unlike any other ecosystem in the world.
The December 2013 Aceh spatial plan removed the Leuser Ecosystem’s boundaries, to which Minister Nurbaya responded by reincorporating these boundaries into the Aceh spatial plan by ministerial decree in November 2016.
This historic legal move means that the Leuser Ecosystem’s boundaries continue to form an inseparable part of the Aceh spatial plan.
RELATED STORIES
