Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra

Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party	Indonesia
Type	Natural
Criteria	vii, ix, x
Reference	1167
Region**	Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription	2004  (28th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO.

Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra comprises three Indonesian national parks on the island of Sumatra — Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park and the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park.

UNESCO designated the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra a World Heritage in 2004. The site is listed under Criteria vii - outstanding scenic beauty; ix- an outstanding example representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes; and x- contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation.

Location and Size

The Tropical Rainforest of Sumatra, situated on the middle of Sumatra, Indonesia, consists of three national parks; Gunung Leuser National Park 8,629.75 square kilometers (3,331.97 sq mi), Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP) 13,753.50 square kilometers (5,310.26 sq mi) and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP) 3,568 square kilometers (1,378 sq mi). The rainforest covers a total area of 25,000 square kilometers (9,700 sq mi), representing major portion of forests on the island of Sumatra. UNESCO designated The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra a World Heritage Site for its biodiversity and its lowland and mountain forest. This once vast island of tropical rainforest has been condensed to secluded areas, in the space of fifty years.

The national parks that make up the heritage all locate on the key spine of the Bukit Barisan Mountains, known as the ‘Andes of Sumatra’. A magnificent panoramic view greets the explorer. The mountainous and untouched national parks constitute a contrast to the established and developed lowlands of Sumatra. The mixture of the stunning Lake Gunung Tujuh (the highest lake in Southeast Asia), the splendor of the giant Mount Kerinci volcano, many small volcanic, coastal and glacial lakes in natural forested settings create an environment of stunning beauty.

The three national parks host varied habitats and exceptional biodiversity. The comprise fifty percent of the total plant variety in Sumatra. At least ninety two local common species have been recognized in Gunung Leuser National Park. Populations of both the world’s largest flower (Rafflesia arnoldi) and the tallest flower (Amorphophallus titanum) exist.

Geography

The mountains have year-round little changing high temperatures, high humidity and high rainfall for nine months in wetter areas, seven months in drier areas. That climate has encouraged the high speciation (formation of new species) and variety of species. Gunung Leuser National Park, receives 3,000 millimeters (120 in) of rainfall, in the north, and collects 4,657 millimeters (183.3 in) in the lowland south. Temperatures average between 21 °C to 28 °C and the humidity measures above sixty percent, especially when over 1,700 meters (5,600 ft). In Kerinci Seblat National Park, the rainfall averages 2,990 millimeters (118 in), temperatures range from 16° to 28 °C with humidity high at (seventy seven-ninety percent). In Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, the rocky west received heavy rain fall, especially during the November to May monsoon: rainfall measures 3,000 millimeters (120 in)-4,000 millimeters (160 in). The east receives less rain, with 2,500 millimeters (98 in)-3,000 millimeters (120 in) of rainfall and the temperature ranging between 20°and 28 °C.

Gunung Leuser National Park

Gunung Leuser National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
"Orang-utan" is Bahasa (Indonesian) for "man of the forest". "Orang-utan" is Bahasa (Indonesian) for "man of the forest".
Location:	Sumatra, Indonesia
Area:	7,927 km²
Established:	1980

Gunung Leuser National Park is a national park covering 7,927 square kilometers (3,061 sq mi) in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, straddling the border of North Sumatra and Aceh provinces. The national park, named after 3,381 m height of Mount Leuser, protects a wide range of ecosystems. An orangutan sanctuary of Bukit Lawang sits inside the park. Together with Bukit Barisan Selatan and Kerinci Seblat national parks it forms a World Heritage Site, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.

Animals

Gunung Leuser National Park numbers among the eighteen Indonesian regions classified by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) among the 200 global ecoregions of importance for preservation of the world’s biodiversity. 174 mammals, three endemic and twenty one listed as threatened in 2000. Little is known about the smaller mammals. 380 species of birds have been listed, thirteen endemic and fifty two threatened. Some of the important species include the orangutan, Sumatran rhinoceros, and the pigtailed monkey. Important plants include Rafflesia arnoldi, and the Amorphophallus titanium. Rueck’s blue flycatcher and the white winged duck number among the several important bird species.

Geography

Gunung Leuser National Park in the north extends 150 kilometers (93 mi) in length and 100 kilometers (62 mi) in width. , Mostly mountainous, forty percent of the park stands over Template:1,500 in height. Twelve percent of the Park, in the lower southern half, stands less than 600 meters (2,000 ft), running 25 kilometers (16 mi) along the coast. Eleven peaks stand over 2,700 meters (8,900 ft), Gunung Leuser the highest peak at 3,466 meters (11,370 ft).

Ecology

Gunung Leuser National Park serves as one of the two remaining habitat for Sumatran Orangutans (Pongo abelii). In 1971, Herman Rijksen established the Ketambe research station, a specially designated research area for the orangutan.

Environmental Threats

File:Jungle Life Indonesia Gunung Leuser National Park.jpg

Jungle Life, Indonesia, Gunung Leuser National Park

In November 1995, the Langkat Regency government proposed a road to connect an enclave, known as Sapo Padang, inside the park. Thirty four families who had been living in the enclave formed a cooperative in March 1996. They submitted a proposal to develop an oil palm plantation in August 1997. In accordance to the government's Poverty Alleviation Program, the authorities accepted the oil palm proposal and the the road construction. The project has resulted in deforestation of 42.5 square kilometers (16.4 sq mi) In June 1998, local office of the Forestry Service issued a decree stating that the Sapo Padang enclave was no longer legally a part of the national park; a controversial decision which consequently led to further forest destruction during the road construction and invited newcomers to slash and burn forest area to create local plantations a way deeper to the park.

In 1999, two university-based NGOs filed a legal suit to the Medan State Court, while a group of sixty one lawyers brought a parallel case in the National Administrative Court. The National Administrative Court rejected the case, while the local NGOs won with 30 million rupiahs damage in their case. Extensive logging and clearing, road-building and oil palm plantation continued operating inside the national park during and after the court cases.

Kerinci Seblat National Park

Kerinci Seblat National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
File:Jungle Mist.jpg
Location:	Sumatra, Indonesia
Area:	13,750 km²
Established:	1999

Kerinci Seblat National Park is the largest national park in Sumatra Indonesia with a total area of 13,750 square kilometers (5,310 sq mi), spaning four provinces:

• West Sumatra,
• Jambi,
• Bengkulu and
• South Sumatra.

Geography

Kerinci Seblat National Park extends 350 kilometers (220 mi) along the Bukit Barisan, averaging 45 kilometers (28 mi) wide and 2,000 meters (6,600 ft) above sea level. The mountains range in the northern part of the part measure 800 meters (2,600 ft)-1,500 meters (4,900 ft) in height. Most of the park is mountaineous. Mount Kerinci, standing 3,805 meters (12,480 ft) high, is the highest mountain and volcano in Indonesia.

It is located between 100°31'18"E - 102°44'01"E and 1°07'13"S - 3°26'14"S. Together with Bukit Barisan Selatan and Gunung Leuser national parks it forms a World Heritage Site, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.

The park area includes a large part of the Barisan mountain range, including the highest peak in Sumatra, Mount Kerinci (3,805 m). The park includes hot springs, rivers with rapids, caves, scenic waterfalls and the highest caldera lake in Southeast Asia - Lake Gunung Tujuh.

Fauna and Flora

File:Danau Gunung Tujuh.jpg

Sampan traversing the lake in Kerinci Seblat National Park, Jambi, Sumatra, Indonesia

In Kerinci Seblat National Park, 85 mammal species are recorded, 5 endemic and 23 listed threatened 370 species of birds are listed, 13 being endemic and 58 threatened. Some important mammal species: Bornean Clouded Leopard, Asian tapir, and the Sumatran rhino. Several important bird species: White-winged duck and the Sumatran ground cuckoo. A few of important plant species: Hopea beccariana, Shorea ovalis ssp.seicea.

The park is home to diversity of flora and fauna. Over 4,000 plant species grow in the park area, including the world's largest flower, Rafflesia arnoldi, and the tallest flower, Titan Arum. The fauna include Sumatran Tigers, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Sumatran elephants, Bornean Clouded Leopard, Malayan Tapir, Malay Sun Bear and 370 bird species.

Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park

Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Geological map of Bukit Barisan mountain range.
Location:	Sumatra, Indonesia
Area:	3,568 km²
Established:	1982

Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park is a national park in Sumatra, Indonesia. The park has a total area of 3,568 km², and spans three provinces:

• Lampung,
• Bengkulu,
• South Sumatra

Starting as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1935, the area became a National Park in 1982. Together with Gunung Leuser and Kerinci Seblat national parks it forms a World Heritage Site, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.

Geography

Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park is also 350 kilometers (220 mi) long but only 45 kilometers (28 mi) wide on average. The northern two-thirds are rocky, averaging 1,500 meters (4,900 ft) with the highest point, Mount Pulung standing at 1,964 meters (6,440 ft). The southern half is lower; 90 kilometers (56 mi) of it is a cape and the Park borders the sea for half its length. Many of rivers derive in the Parks and there are several lakes and hot springs.

Fauna and Flora

Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, has 98 mammals are recorded, with 1 endemic and 25 threatened 379 species of birds are listed, 7 being endemic and 58. 59 reptile and amphibian species are recorded. BBSNP has the same bird species as KSNP. Some important mammal species: Sumatran elephant, and the leatherback turtle.

The park is home to many endangered species, including:

• Sumatran Elephant (about 500 animals, or 25% of the total remaining population of this sub-species live in the park)
• Sumatran Striped Rabbit
• Sumatran Rhino (an estimated 60-85 Sumatran rhinos live in the park, the largest population anywhere on Sumatra)
• Sumatran Tiger (approximately 40 adult tigers or 10% of the remaining Sumatran tigers live in the park).

The park has recently lost 20% of its forests to illegal agriculture, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature. WWF found that more than 450 km² of park land is being used for growing coffee, and the organisation is now working with multinational coffee companies (including Nestle) to help them avoid buying illegally grown coffee.

See Also

• Sumatra
• List of World Heritage Sites in Asia and Australasia
• Southeast Asia
• Indonesia
• Orangutan
• Tiger
• Rainforest

Notes

PT Amal Tani was owned by the immediate family of the commander of the Indonesian army's territorial military command of the area, KODAM I Bukit Barisan. The principal function of the military partnership is to organize "administrative details" when obtaining permissions to build the roads and other related projects. The director of PT Amal Tani became the executive of the local cooperation unit. The military's unit charitable foundation, Yayasan Kodam I Bukit Barisan, also involved in the project.

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Kramer, Randall A., Carel van Schaik, and Julie Johnson. 1997. Last stand: protected areas and the defense of tropical biodiversity. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195095548.
• Nierenberg, Danielle. 2006. State of the world 2006: a Worldwatch Institute report on progress toward a sustainable society. New York: W.W. Norton. ISBN 9780393327717.
• Tan, Kim H. 2008. Soils in the humid tropics and monsoon region of Indonesia. Books in soils, plants, and the environment. Boca Raton: CRC Press. ISBN 9781420069075.
• Terborgh, John. 2004. Requiem for nature. Washington, D.C.: Island Press [for] Shearwater Books. ISBN 9781559635882.
• Witton, Patrick. 2003. Indonesia. Melbourne: Lonely Planet. ISBN 9781740591546.

External links

Links retrieved December 8, 2008.

• UNESCO World Heritage website
• Wildlife Conversation Society: Saving Rainforests
• The Encyclopedia of the Earth: Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra, Indonesia
• Post-tsunami assistance for Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra and Nature Conservation Agency, Aceh Province, Indonesia
• Leuser International Foundation
• World Database on Protected Areas: Entry of Kerinci Seblat National Park
• WWF: Illegally grown coffee threatens tiger habitat in Indonesia
• World Database on Protected Areas: Entry of Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park

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