Sumatranorangutan

Orangutan Suvery Results, Socialised by GLNP Authority

According to the latest survey, approximately 1'500 Sumatra orangutans still inhabit the eastern part of the Gunung Leuser National Park. The survey is part of the Indonesian Action Plan for Orangutan Conservation.

Boundary signage and billboards installed in Pinang Sori, Central Tapanuli, to prevent further destruction of orangutan habitat

The signage and billboards were installed along the boundary of Batang Toru forest in three sub-villages (Toga Basir, Adian Burjau, and Aek Gambir Sirere) of Toga Basir, a village inhabited mostly by immigrants from Nias island.

Raising awareness for Batang Toru

The critically endangered Sumatran orangutans, sun baers, tapir and many other rare and endangered species are still found in the Batang Toru forest. Recently the PanEco camera trapping programme captured the image of a Sumatran tiger, confirming the presence of this species in Batang Toru forest. According to a YEL study, there are approximately 8 000 Nias people living near the Batang Toru forest edges. Immigration from Nias to Batang Toru started some 30 years ago. The Sialogo sub-village was the first one to be established, Malaka followed in 1973. However most of the sub-villages were established in the late 80ies and 90ies. Today, there are eight Nias sub-villages inside the protection forest and up to 2 200 hectares of forest have been encroached.

New information center in Sibolangit

PanEco and YEL will establish a new Nature Conservation Information Center (PIKA) in Sumatra. PIKA will be situated in Sibolangit Nature Recreation Park and will be established over the next five years in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Agency BKSDA.

New Boundary Socialisation Programme for Batang Toru

The new programme supports relevant district government agencies to socialise existing protection forest boundaries, disseminate information on regulations for protected wildlife, and the function of protection forest as life support system to the community inside or near the boundary of the Batang Toru Forest Block BTFB. Interactive dialogue will be held by Yayasan Ekosistem Lestari, Perkumpulan Samudera, and relevant government officers with the local community. However, prior to direct meeting with local community, two workshops are held: 1) District level workshop with government agencies at district level, and 2) Sub-district workshop with related sub-district heads, village heads, religious leaders, and customary leaders. The purpose of the two workshops is to prepare a shared perception regarding the forest boundaries, protection forest, and forestry and wildlife regulations among the officers who will meet the villagers near the edges of the Batang Toru forest.

The Gunung Leuser National Park Authority (Balai Besar Taman Nasional Gunung Leuser/BBTNGL) and UNESCO held a two-day workshop on „Socialisation of Survey Result on Orangutan Distribution and Density in the eastern part of Gunung Leuser National Park" in Hotel Semarak Medan, North Sumatra, from 7 to 8 June 2010. Five resource persons presented various issues related to the recent survey: Dr. Serge Wich from PanEco/YEL presented the "Results of Surveys on Orangutan Distribution and Density in the Eastern Part of Gunung Leuser National Park," Mr. Sunjaya (YAPEKA) talked about "Local Knowledge on Orangutan Among Neighboring Communities of the GLNP," Ms. Rina Purwaningsih (UNESCO) talked on "Spatial Analysis of Orangutan Conflict in GLNP," Mr. Harijoko (BBTNGL) on "Collaborative Management based on Forestry Ministry No. 19/2004 regarding  Management Collaboration of National Part," and Mr. Djati Wicaksono (BBKSDA) on "Progress on Preparation of Provincial decree of Human-Wildlife Conflict Coordination in North Sumatra."

In his presentation, Dr. Serge Wich gave an overview of the survey result, which was a joint activity between PanEco, its partner Yayasan Ekosistem Lestari and UNESCO in a six month survey in the eastern part of Gunung Leuser National Park. He said, that the preliminary analyses of the data indicate that the area below 1,500 meters asl in the eastern part of the National Park contains between 1065 to 1817 individuals of the critically endangered Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii). The survey was held using the most current available methods. Prior to the survey, a comprehensive training was held in Bohorok, Langkat. National and international experts were invited as trainers. Nevertheless it is important to realize that the numbers are preliminary and will change once the complete set of surveys in the East and Western part of the Gunung Leuser National Park have been completed.

The orangutan survey in the eastern part of GLNP is the first phase survey which PanEco and YEL conducted in cooperation with UNESCO, the Government of Spain and the GLNP. The first phase survey, which was co-managed by Dr. Ian Singleton and Serge Wich, was carried out from October 2009 to March 2010. The second phase survey started in June and will last until November 2010. "When the two phase survey is completely done, the GLNP will be the first National Park in Indonesia to posses the a comprehensive database on the orangutan," Serge said.

The survey and workshop are part of the GLNP activity in implementing the Strategy and Action Plan for Orangutan Conservation in Indonesia 2007 – 2017 in Sumatra. The 33 participants were mostly from  NGOs, but also from UNESCO and government agencies including the Gunung Leuser National Park,  Forestry Service in Langkat Sub-district, Orangutan Information Centre OIC, Yayasan Pembelajaran Konservasi Alam (YAPEKA), Yayasan Ekosistem Lestari (YEL), Conservation International Indonesia Program (CIIP), North Sumatera University (USU), World Conservation Society (WCS), Yayasan Leuser International (YLI), Fauna and Flora International (FFI), Balai Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam Sumatera Utara (BBKSDASU). The participants of the workshop also provided recommendations on who to mitigate conflict pertaining to the GLNP.

Prior to the installation of signage and billboards in this village, two socialization meetings were held outlining the importance of protecting forest as a life supporting system. The first meeting was held on May 16 in Toga Basir Elementary school with 55 attendees from two sub-villages: Toga Basir and Adian Burjau. The second meeting was held on May 17 in the Catholic Church in Aek Gambir Sirere sub-village with approximately 60 attendees. Both meetings were moderated by the Forestry Task Force for Pinang Sori, Mr. Ali Bosar Tarihoran with three resource persons from the Forestry and Estate Crop Department, i.e., Mr. Husein Sianturi, Mr. Banuara Nainggolan, and Mr. Kristian Marpaung. Pinda Sianturi from Yayasan Ekosistem Lestari also gave a presentation on the socio-economic survey previously conducted by YEL and PanEco in Central Tapanuli. Signage and billboards were installed together with the villagers on May 18 and19 in Toga Basir and Aek Gambir Sirere respectively.

With the implementation of two socialization meetings in Pinang Sori, PanEco and YEL have so far facilitated Forestry and Estate Crop Department for 13 out of 19 scheduled events. Sosialisation and signage installations have been done in four sub-district including 6 locations in Tukka sub-district (Huraba, Siantar Gunung, Paromaan, Aek Simamak, Haramonting, Aek Bontar), 3 locations in Lumut sub-district (Sialogo, Hili Asondu, Muara Panggilingan), 2 locations in Sibabangun sub-district (Sibintuon Aek Hapesong) and 2 locations in Pinang Sori subdistrict (Dusun I Toga Basir, Dusun III Adian Burjau, and Dusun II Aek Gambir Sirere)

Batang Toru forest, which consists of approximately 136,000 hectares, is an important habitat for Sumatran orangutans, tigers, tapirs, sun bears and many other endangered species.

More about Batang Toru

Mr. Pinda Sianturi from YEL Pandan gave a presentation on forest functions as a life support system and on threats to this forest by encroachment through immigrants from Nias. Gunung Gea from YEL Medan also attended the meeting and introduced himself as a Nias person. He requested the church leaders to urge the Nias communities in Central Tapanuli to immediately halt encroaching new forest areas and to stop inviting their friends and relatives to encroach in Batang Toru, because the forest has a limited carrying capacity. If they continue to expand encroachment in Batang Toru Forest it will not only endanger the lives of other people in Central Tapanuli, but it will also endanger their own lives because of natural disaster.

Following the presentation, one of the participants, Ms. Rohati Zalukhu from Kalangan Church, asked why we suggested stopping encroachment in Batang Toru Forest as the Nias People encroach the area because of poverty. "They encroach this area only to earn small income for living," she said. Pinda Sianturi responded by explaining that it is not true because right now some of them already control land from 5 to 30 hectares per family in Sitahuis. In his closing statement, Fonazaro Gulo, chairman of the Resort 40 BNKP Church Council, explained that in the near future the 37 churches under Resort 40 plan to include an Environment Programme  in their Annual Programme to cater awareness among the Nias community inside and near the Batang Toru forest.

On May 28, a similar event will be carried out with BNKP church in Sibolga municipality because some of its members are also located near the Batang Toru forest.

The Nature Recreation Park Sibolangit was formerly a highly regarded botanical garden, linked to the well known Kebun Raya in Bogor, Java, before it fell into disrepair. YEL and PanEco feel it would be highly desirable to attempt to regain some of Sibolangit's former glory. At the same time, it possesses enormous potential for educating local North Sumatrans. Residents of the nearby sprawling city of Medan seldom - if ever - visit the Province's natural rainforests. This readily accessible new center will offer them the opportunity to better experience and appreciate the forest environment, and to learn more about its ecology and conservation. Its location near to the SOCP orangutan quarantine center in Batu Mbelin also  offers an excellent opportunity to inform visitors about the important work being carried out in this strictly closed  facility.

The first workshop held in Pandan, Central Tapanuli, was officially opened by the head of Forestry and Estate Crop Services of Central Tapanuli, Mr. APM Simanjuntak on behalf of District Head (Bupati) of Central Tapanuli. Up to 49 persons participated in the workshop including District Forestry and Estate Crop Services of Tapanuli Tengah, Regional Development Planning Body (Bappeda), Regional  Environment Impact Management Body (Bapedalda), Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Services, Land Service, PLTA/PLN Sipansipahoras. Heads of sub-district from Sibabangun, Badiri, Pandan, Tukka, Sarudik, Sitahuis, were all participated in the workshop. Representatives from YEL, SAMUDERA, local press, and Public Relations agencies also participated.

During the first day, head of Forestry and Estate Crop, Mr. APM Simanjuntak gave a presentation on general condition of the Batang Toru forest specifically in Central Tapanuli. He told the audience that encroachment is very difficult to control in this area. Another concern of APM Simanjuntak is the threat from the logging concession, PT. Teluk Nauli. He said that although PT. Teluk Nauli already holds a logging permit in the Batang Toru, the government of Central Tapanuli does not approve its annual work plan in Central Tapanuli. This means that PT. Teluk Nauli cannot operate in Central Tapanuli. According to APM Simanjutnak, the economic value of sustainable utilization of BTFB will far exeed the economic value from logging concession, encroachment, and mining which will damage the environment surrounding the Batang Toru forest. Following the presentation of APM Simanjutak, Mr. Riswan Zein from YEL/SOCP gave a second presentation with more detailed information of economic value of the Batang Toru forest.

Early this year, PanEco and its key Indonesian partner, YEL together with a local NGO SAMUDERA, carried out a socio-economic survey in the BTFB in Central Tapanuli and found out from the people living inside the forest that they are not well informed of the protection forest boundary. Therefore, they just encroach wherever is good for farming, estate crop, and to grow rice. "No effort has been done yet so far, to prevent encroachments in the Batang Toru Forests. With this socialization we hope prevent further encroachment in the area" said Ms. Gabriella Fredriksson, Coordinator of Batang Toru Programme. Some 100 billboards are being made with various conservation messages which will be placed at strategic points during the socialization process.