BKSDA Jambi States Key Species Habitat in TNBT Shrinking

Jambi (ANTARA) – The Jambi Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) has stated that the important ecosystem in Bukit Tigapuluh National Park (TNBT) is shrinking due to human activities.

This situation has reduced habitat space for Sumatran elephants, tigers, and orang-utans, whilst increasing the potential for human-wildlife conflict that could harm both communities.

BKSDA Jambi head Himawan Sasongko said in a written statement in Jambi on Friday that the Bukit Tigapuluh landscape is one of the lowland forest and hilly forest areas in Jambi Province.

The area covers two regencies: Tebo and Tanjung Jabung Barat, with a total area of approximately 270,000 hectares.

The region plays a strategic role in biodiversity conservation and serves as critical habitat for endangered key species. Approximately 10 per cent of the lowland Sumatran elephant population, 10 per cent of the wild Sumatran tiger population, and Sumatran orang-utans live and thrive in this original habitat (reintroduction) location.

According to him, the landscape is an important area for industrial timber plantation development, social forestry expansion, and borders economically valuable commodity cultivation areas.

This situation threatens the landscape’s natural capacity to serve as habitat for Sumatera’s key and iconic species.

He believes collective effort is needed to improve landscape governance so it can become a conducive shared living space. Additionally, it must protect these iconic Sumatran species in good condition and with stable populations in the long term.

However, such efforts require the role and positive contribution of various stakeholders, particularly central and regional governments, local and national conservation and social activists, and academics.

Furthermore, area managers at ground level – both private companies and communities within and around the landscape – must also be involved.

BKSDA Jambi greatly appreciates the launch of the “Initiative Promoting sustainability landscape management through Biodiversity conservation and forest positive action in Bukit Tigapuluh” with support from APP Group and Proforest and their partners, WWF Indonesia and KKI WARSI in a consortium.

It is hoped that this strategic collaborative landscape management approach will drive improvements to Bukit Tigapuluh landscape governance.