Dinda Bethari, Medan, for the Jakarta Post
It takes more than two hours to travel from Medan to Besitang district, Langkat regency, North Sumatra. West of this district is a wildlife sanctuary extending from Central Aceh regency in Aceh to Bahorok district, Langkat regency, better known as Mount Leuser National Park (TNGL).
Housing protected animals like orangutans, elephants and crocodiles, the park is in critical condition as thousands of hectares are being deforested for farming and plantations, resulting in occasional floods in Besitang district.
In a nursery at the park, thousands of seedlings are cultivated for replanting to restore Sei Betung, a 9,734-hectare area in the TNGL zone. “From five nurseries in TNGL, 125,000 seedlings have grown since June 2012. We are aiming to plant 165,000 seedlings until June 2013 in Sei Betung,” said Panut Hadisiswoyo, director of the Sumatra Orangutan Conservation Foundation — Orangutan Information Center (YOSL-OIC).
This excerpt from a report appeared in and is courtesy of the Jakarta Post. To read the full article click here.
