US$38m from EU for Leuser Park<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The European Union has pledged to provide US$38
\nmillion to support Indonesia's efforts to save the Leuser
\nNational Park in Aceh, Minister of Forestry Djamaludin
\nSoeryohadikusumo said yesterday.<\/p>\n
The grant, to be disbursed over seven years, will be provided
\nto the Leuser International Foundation, which was established by
\nprominent Aceh figures last year.<\/p>\n
The funds will be used to rehabilitate the park, develop
\necotourism and train forest rangers, small-scale handicraft
\nentrepreneurs and farmers that benefit from the park, Djamaludin
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"Tourists will be made to feel at home not by putting them up
\nin first class hotels but rather by accommodating them in
\nresidents' clean houses,\" he told journalists after meeting with
\nPresident Soeharto.<\/p>\n
The ecotourism to be developed at the national park aims not
\nonly at preserving the flora and fauna but also to help improve
\nthe local residents' well-being, the minister said.<\/p>\n
The 850,000 hectare park is well-known for its richness in
\nbiodiversity. It is home to numerous protected animals, such as
\nelephants, two-horned hippopotamus, Sumatran tigers and
\norangutans.<\/p>\n
It is the habitat of numerous plants, including six species of
\ndurians. As a tourist spot, it is highly unique in that it
\ncombines beaches, swamps, rain forests and mountains.<\/p>\n
Under threat due to ignorance and neglect, the landmark of the
\nwestern-most province is a popular place for jungle trekking,
\nrafting and mountain climbing. It has also been well-known as a
\nresearch location.<\/p>\n
Government officials say that damages to the park's ecosystem
\nand forests have been largely caused by the local people's poor
\nknowledge of the importance of the environment, the activities of
\nforest concession holders and slack supervision.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin said the government would intensify the supervision
\nof activities by forest concessionaire near the national park.<\/p>\n
Tighter supervision of the logging activities are necessary to
\nmake sure that forest concessionaire holders will not encroach on
\nthe park, he added.<\/p>\n
The minister and the President also discussed ways to control
\nthe burning of wood waste, such as off-cuts from timber
\nproduction, during the upcoming dry season, so as not to pose
\nenvironmental problems.<\/p>\n
The burning of wood waste sparked widespread smog last year in
\nseveral provinces in Sumatra, where there is no pulp factory, he
\nsaid. (pan)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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