USU Researcher: Leuser Protection Must Be Part of Regional Development Agenda

A researcher from the Faculty of Forestry at the University of North Sumatra (USU), Onrizal, has stated that the protection of the Leuser Ecosystem Area (KEL) must be positioned as part of the regional development agenda, not merely viewed as a conservation issue. “Leuser plays a strategic role in maintaining water availability, reducing disaster risk, protecting biodiversity, as well as supporting the economic activities of communities in North Sumatra and Aceh,” Onrizal said in Medan on Tuesday. He made the remarks at a Policy and Governance Strengthening Workshop for the Leuser Ecosystem Area in North Sumatra, organised by the North Sumatra Regional Development Planning Agency (Bapperida) in collaboration with Green Justice Indonesia (GJI) and the USU Faculty of Forestry. Onrizal noted that the total area of KEL in North Sumatra is 346,340.56 hectares, located across Langkat, Karo, Dairi, and Deli Serdang regencies, with 63.07 percent designated as conservation areas. He emphasised that managing Leuser requires a comprehensive and cross-sectoral approach, as the area encompasses conservation zones, protected forests, production forests, and other utilisation zones. Onrizal, who also serves as Vice Chairman of the North Sumatra Provincial Forestry Forum (FKD), argued that developing economic activities that support landscape sustainability—such as agroforestry, non-timber forest products, environmental services, and community-based ecotourism—is more appropriate than activities that could potentially damage the area’s ecological functions. “The protection of the Leuser Ecosystem Area needs to be integrated into regional development planning documents, including spatial planning policies, infrastructure development, water resource management, and disaster risk reduction,” he said. He added that managing Leuser requires collaboration between the central government, regional governments, academics, the business sector, civil society organisations, and local communities so that development and environmental protection can proceed hand in hand. Onrizal expressed hope that the workshop would produce concrete recommendations to strengthen the integration of Leuser Ecosystem Area protection into the Medium-Term Development Plans of North Sumatra Province and the relevant regencies.