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| Photo by : Paul Hilton |
Roads
One of the biggest threats to the Leuser Ecosystem is the building of road networks through the forest. The expansion of roads and settlements into this area lead to increased deforestation and allows illegal logging and poaching to be undertaken with greater ease.
A proposed road network known as "Ladia Galaska" which would connect the east and west coasts of Aceh and cut through the Leuser Ecosystem in at least nine places would have a devastating effect on the area's wildlife, many of which will not cross a road. The plans for the proposed road comprise 450 kilometres of main road plus more than 1200 kilometres of minor roads, the majority of which would lie within the boundaries of the Leuser Ecosystem.
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| Photo by : Greenpeace |
Palm oil plantations
Also a major threat are palm oil plantations, particularly in an area on the west coast of Aceh known as Tripa. Palm oil plantations in this area are primarily located on peat swamps up to three metres deep. Between 50 to 100 million tonnes of carbon is stored in the peat swamps,and is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide when the peat is burned.
Palm oil plantations clear primary forest and burn the peat swamps in order to construct large canals to facilitate the planting of palm oil.
The land degradation caused by palm oil plantations in Tripa compromises the welfare of local communities and destroys the habitats of a number of charismatic animal species, including the highest density of orangutans found anywhere in the world.
Despite a two-year moratorium on forest clearance, Governor Irwardi Yusuf issued an official permit to oil palm corporation PT Kallista Alam to cut-and-burn the Tripa peat swamp forest, endangering many rare species.
This has created international movement to save Tripa, conservationist groups aligned together creating international campaign that resulted in historic cancellation of Palm Oil plantation permits, creating legal precedent to save the critically endangered Orangutan habitat.
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