By Jennifer Solan
Indonesia is the second most biodiverse country in the world, home to tropical forests, coral reefs, mangroves, tropical peatlands, and two of the world’s biodiversity “hotspots” (UNEP). One of these hotspots is the Leuser ecosystem spanning across Northern Sumatra and includes protected forest under the Gunung Leuser National Park. The Leuser ecosystem is the only place where tigers, elephants, orangutans, and rhinos live together in the wild (Putra and Griffith). Maintaining the forest as a carbon sink, protecting biodiversity, and overcoming threats to the Leuser ecosystem is thus a priority for climate and environmental policy. When arriving in Indonesia, I sought to learn how ecosystems like Leuser can be protected while still supporting the economic development of local communities.
During our trek in Leuser National Park, I began to connect how indigenous and local communities have historically been stewards of biodiversity through conversations with our guide, Wanda. Wanda has worked as a park ranger since 1991, and had an abundance of knowledge around the species of the forest and how the relationship between humans and nature has changed over time. Leuser became a national park in 1980, and when immersed in it, it feels nearly completely untouched by humans. I asked how long it took the rainforest to return to an undisturbed state, since it has only been 44 years since the land was designated for conservation. Wanda answered that local communities who used the rainforest for resources did so in a way that preserved the biodiversity and was in harmony with the ecosystem. Wanda provided the example of logging practices. Traditionally, when logging, locals would only cut down the highest quality tree for wood and then transport it by sending it down the river. Without modern technology, it took many days to cut down the tree, and significant effort to remove the tree from the forest. These natural barriers led to sustainable practices of the local community that supported economic growth while preserving the natural environment.
Wanda recounted that over just his lifetime, he has seen a loss of these inherently sustainable practices as modern technology reached Bukit Luwang and other communities in the Leuser ecosystem. For example, growing up he would be sent hiking in the forest with his food wrapped in banana leaves. The leaves would naturally compost, leaving no trace. But now single-use plastic has taken over, and there has to be education efforts to reduce and properly dispose of the plastic. Wanda shared that plastic and other modern materials have been used in the name of progress, but have really just been less effective for the environment than the traditional practices.
How can indigenous knowledge and local practices like Wanda be recognized and promoted through policy to protect biodiversity and environmental sustainability? The Kumming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted during the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 15) sets a pathway to reach the global vision of a world living in harmony with nature by 2050 and includes in its vision, “the important roles and contributions of indigenous peoples and local communities as custodians of biodiversity and as partners in its conservation, restoration and sustainable use” (CBD COP 15). Wanda’s experiences demonstrate this vision, as indigenous practices preserved the biodiversity of the Leuser ecosystem. Examples of these practices range from logging to waste management, and are also demonstrated in Bali with the water sharing system, the subak.
The Kunming-Montreal framework is reflected in the Indonesian Biodiversity and Strategy Action Plan, which recognizes indigenous peoples as biodiversity custodians, beneficiaries, and knowledge disseminators (CBD COP 15). The Indonesian Biodiversity and Strategy Action Plan also emphasizes that “protection of local wisdom is crucial because the utilization of biodiversity in general is rooted in local traditions and even the traditions of the indigenous people” (CBD COP 15). The CBD and Kunming-Montreal framework show that Indonesian indigenous and local community practices are valued in theory to protect biodiversity, but the implementation of these strategies needs to be further explored. Deforestation rates indicate that more work needs to be done, and fully lifting and engaging indigenous peoples and local communities is a key policy solution.
Works Cited
Convention on Biological Diversity COP 15. “15/4. Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.” December 2022, https://www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/cop-15/cop-15-dec-04-en.pdf.
Indonesian Government, Ministry of the National Development Planning. “Indonesian Biodiversity and Strategy Action Plan.” /, https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/ins176625.pdf. Accessed 2024.
Putra, Rudi, and Mike Griffith. “Leuser Ecosystem, Sumatra, Indonesia | Our Projects.” Global Conservation, 2024, https://globalconservation.org/projects/leuser-national-park-indonesia/.
United Nations Environment Programme. “Biodiversity / Indonesia.” Interactive Country Fiches, https://dicf.unepgrid.ch/indonesia/biodiversity#section-states. Accessed 31 January 2024.
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