Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP) with a total area of 356,800 ha is the third largest conservation area in Sumatra. Since 2004, BBSNP along with Gunung Leuser and Kerinci Seblat National Park were designated by UNESCO as the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (TRHS) covers a total area of 2,595,124 ha, constituting one of the biggest conservation areas in Southeast Asia (WHP, 2014). BBSNP was inscribed in the World Heritage list for its unique natural beauty, the importance of its habitats for the conservation of endemic species including Sumatran orang-utan, tiger, rhino, elephant, and Malayan sun-bear. BBSNP also has the significant role of its on-going ecological and biological processes in its ecosystems to the global landscape.
Unfortunately, BBSNP are by no means free from disturbances. Population increase, agriculture expansion, and exploitations of other biological and physical resources of the forests, have put lots of pressure to BBSNP. Deforestation and encroachment in BBSNP areas due to the expansion of monocultures and infrastructure development have been the main threats to BBSNP integrity. About 74,988 ha or 21% of BBSNP area has been encroached until year 2014 (TBI, 2015). Encroachment is often compounded with other problems such as illegal logging and poaching. In the meantime, problems have become entrenched due to the economic and political interests associated with the use of resources within park boundaries. These continuous threats led to the inscription of TRHS to the In-Danger List of World Heritage by the World Heritage Committee in 2011.
As one of the efforts to solve encroachment in BBSNP, joint coercive operation involving police and army which coordinated by BBSNP was conducted to evict squatters out of BBSNP area and eradicate the exotic plants species. Furthermore, to bring back original normalcy of function, structure, potential, service and process the recovery of ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged or destroyed, it is needed ecosystem restoration (FES, 2008). Successful of BBSNP ecosystem restoration will contribute on increasing of carbon stock and reducing of GHG emissions.
Restoration in Pedamaran was implemented for 14 months, starting from March 2014 until May 2015 and has been successful to restore 112 ha area with plants survival ± 95% and has planted 62,500 seedlings of 36 endemic tree species of BBSNP, while some of species are as Sumatran rhino ((Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) feed such as Alstonia scholaris, Vitex pubescens, and Pterospermum javanicum.
The major milestones of the project during implementation of the project are as follow: (1) Providing base-line data from feasibility studies on the bio-physical and socio-economic aspects in the selected site as the basis to develop a scientific-based ecological restoration methodology, (2) Develop awareness materials, (3) Established of Ecosystem Restoration Farmer Group at Pedamaran Hamlet, (4) Delivering awareness materials and film screening in two sub-villages surrounding restoration area, (5) Conducted training for local community and BBSNP staff on ecosystem restoration, (6) Established one village nursery at Pedamaran area with capacity of 100,000 seedlings, (7) Produced ± 80,000 good qualified seedlings for restoration and ± 10,000 seedlings for community income generating activity, (8) Produced serials map of restoration area (plantation maps, topography, land cover, etc.), (9) Conducted plantation of 112 ha, (10) Established permanent plot of Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) at restored area to monitor status, change, and trend of plants growth and ecosystem of restoration area, (11) Conducted plant maintenance, (12) Produced film on “Best Practice of Ecosystem Restoration at BBSNP” in English and Indonesian versione in BBS NP, (13) Develop Database Management on Ecosystem Restoration at Pedamaran area.
Duration of project : The project was implemented for 14 months (March 2014-May 2015)
Objectives:
The objectives of the project are:
a. To support the existing restoration activity in BBSNP
b. To identify critically degraded forest area, ranging from 100-200 ha, as the potential site for implementation of ecosystem restoration in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP)
c. To carry out feasibility studies on the bio-physical and socio-economic aspects in the selected site as the basis to develop a scientific-based ecosystem restoration methodology.
d. To restore the selected critically degraded sites ranging from 100-200ha, in cooperation with the authority of Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park
e. To establish a system to monitor the restoration activities progress and success that can be applied to all restoration activities.
f. To train local partners (BBSNP staff and local community) on ecosystem restoration methodologies.