Prominent Acehnese to save Leuser park<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Prominent Aceh figures have lent credence to the
\ncampaign to save the Leuser National Park, a landmark in the
\nprovince whose biodiversity resources are now threatened due to
\nignorance and neglect.<\/p>\n
Together they founded the Leuser International Foundation on
\nJuly 23, with the goal of campaigning for the promotion and
\nprotection of the natural diversity of the forest.<\/p>\n
Abdul Rachman Ramly, the chief executive officer of Astra
\nInternational group, chairs the foundation whose founders also
\ninclude State Minister of Food and the chairman of the National
\nLogistic Board Ibrahim Hasan and former cooperatives minister
\nBustanil Arifin.<\/p>\n
The foundation went public for the first time yesterday with a
\npress conference to announce its line up and objectives.<\/p>\n
The park is the habitat of various species including the rare
\nenggang birds, orangutan, elephants, wild goats and six species
\nof durian. Leuser is considered highly unusual because it
\ncombines beaches, swamps, rain forests and high mountains all in
\none area.<\/p>\n
The only other park boasting a similar line-up is the Laurentz
\nnational park in Irian Jaya. Leuser offers visitors beautiful
\nscenery and adventures through mountain climbing, trekking and
\nrafting.<\/p>\n
Ramly said the damages to the park's forests and ecosystem
\nhave been largely caused by the local people's poor knowledge of
\nthe importance of the ecosystem, the activities of forest
\nconcession holders, and lack of supervision.<\/p>\n
Ramly has served Indonesia in various key positions, such as
\nambassador to the United States and president of the state oil
\nfirm Pertamina.<\/p>\n
\"We need to protect the park because of its huge natural
\nwealth which has yet to be explored,\" Ramly told reporters at the
\noffice of Asuransi Berdikari, an insurance company of the
\nBerdikari Group owned by Bustanil.<\/p>\n
Ramly said the foundation plans to invite foreign institutions
\nto take part in its programs, and is now lobbying countries in
\nthe European Union. \"The environment is now a global issue.\"<\/p>\n
He said many local people wrongly believed that they could
\nmake use of the resources any way they liked inside the national
\npark. He added that the attacks which are directed solely against
\nforest concessions are misdirected, as they are not the only
\nsource of environmental abuse.<\/p>\n
\"This is wrong. It is in the non-concession areas that we find
\nmore natural wealth than that of the concession forests,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The Leuser foundation will also launch a program that will
\nencourage the people living near the 850,000-hectare park to
\nparticipate in protecting the area's natural diversity.<\/p>\n
The foundation will set up posts in around the park to
\nsupervise the program. \"We will teach the local people why and
\nhow to protect the environment.\"<\/p>\n
He said the area could be developed into an ecotourism site,
\nproviding the local people with new jobs as guides, cooks and
\nlodge keepers. (par)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prominent-acehnese-to-save-leuser-park-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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