11/11/2009 (Leuser Eco System.org) - Badan Pengelola Kawasan Ekosistem Leuser (BPKEL) has co-ordinated efforts with the local Aceh Tamiang police and TAPE (Tamiang Peduli), a prominent local NGO, to bring to an end the practice of illegal logging and illegal palm oil plantations in Aceh Tamiang District. The operation has upheld the high-priority prerogative issued initially by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and supported by the National Chief of Police concerning the elimination of illegal forest activities.

Since early 2009, BPKEL has been working with the provincial level police, headed by the Aceh Tamiang District Police Chief, to identify cases of illegal logging and land clearing within the Leuser Ecosystem. The District Police Chief made this identification a priority, and after confirming the existence of several areas where illegal logging has made way for equally illegal palm oil plantations, several strategic meetings were held involving BPKEL, TAPE and the local district police (Kapolda).

Following this cooperation, an ultimatum was issued to the owners of illegal palm oil plantations: surrender their plantations or face arrest and prosecution. Faisal Kamal, Chairman of TAPE, explains the result: “We estimate that 2,500 hectares of land in Tamiang previously illegally planted with palm oil has now been reclaimed. A proportion of this area has already been cut down, and TAPE and BPKEL are in the process of coordinating the full removal of palm oil trees to then facilitate forest regeneration.”

BPKEL will work closely with provincial government to restructure the process for obtaining permission for land cultivation (HGU – Hak Guna Usaha), cooperating with TAPE to socialize sustainable forest concepts for the Aceh Tamiang community, and to develop a forest regeneration model that may be replicated elsewhere in Aceh.

TAPE Chairman Faisal Kamal praised all involved parties for making the Aceh Tamiang project a success. “The coordination between BPKEL, TAPE, three other local NGOs, four community cooperatives, the Aceh Tamiang district level police and local community members has succeeded in reclaiming 2,500 hectares of land that will now be utilized to protect the Leuser Ecocsystem and its critical forest functions.

According to BPKEL’s Coordinator for Sustainable Utilization, Tedi Gunawarman, the success encountered in Aceh Tamiang is a prelude to further operations earmarked for other districts within the Leuser Ecosystem. “The Aceh Tamiang operation has now set a precedent” states Tedi. “BPKEL estimates that every forested district in Aceh suffers from illegal exploitation of some kind or another, and following the Aceh Tamiang example we will stamp out illegal activities within the Leuser Ecosystem in conjunction with the local authorities.”

BPKEL has now established a scientific facility known as Camp Tamiang that will research and monitor the natural regeneration of the forest. The facility has been built on land recently cleared of palm oil plantations, and will also be able to coordinate efforts to rehabilitate a further 5,000 hectares of protected forest in the Aceh Tamiang area in addition to the already secured 2,500 hectares. Additionally, Camp Tamiang will provide a base for researchers from the provincial Syiah Kuala University to examine forest regeneration practices under a joint agreement between BPKEL and the university.