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Thursday, Apr 19 2018

Roads to Ruin

GPS: 4°24'50.2"N, 97°30'29.3"E – The best science from forest ecologists aligns with centuries of lived history by frontline forest communities to reveal the single biggest threat to healthy forest ecosystems: roads. Just about every other cause of deforestation, from logging, mining and plantation development to invasive species and wildlife poaching, are secondary wounds which inevitably follow the initial intrusion created by road construction. Put simply, roads are a death knell... Read Full Story
Friday, Apr 6 2018

Deforestation and Fires Continue to Destroy Precious Indonesian Rainforests

GPS:2°45'07.8"N 97°58'02.8"E Despite instructions from the President of Indonesia and the new Governor of Aceh to stop all land clearing for palm oil plantations, and despite an active conflict with a local community over land rights, RAN field investigators have documented continued forest destruction inside one of the most critical areas of the world-class Leuser Ecosystem, an area called Singkil-Bengkung. Read Full Story
Thursday, Nov 9 2017

Sumatran Palm Oil Producer Found Still Destroying Critical Elephant Habitat with Impunity

GPS: 4°46'11.08"N, 97°31'20.5"E Between August 21st and September 5th, 2017 Conflict Palm Oil grower PT. Tualang Raya cleared another 18 hectares of critical lowland rainforests inside the Leuser Ecosystem. This rogue actor has continued razing forest with impunity despite RAN exposing its ongoing destruction since September 2015. PT. Tualang Raya is clearing in disregard of a government moratorium on forest clearing for palm oil development. According to satellite imagery analysis,... Read Full Story
Wednesday, Nov 1 2017

Ongoing Destruction Found in ‘Orangutan Capital of the World,’ yet Aceh Governor Sends Positive Signals for its Protection

Between August 21st and September 13th, 2017, a total of 49 hectares of forest were cleared in the Tripa peatland, located in Aceh’s Nagan Raya district and part of the endangered Leuser Ecosystem. A total of 12 hectares were cleared inside the PT. Kallista Alam (KA) concession, and the remaining 37 hectares were cleared inside the PT. Surya Panen Subur II (SPS) concession. A fire hotspot was also identified inside... Read Full Story
Wednesday, Sep 27 2017

Kluet Hydropower Dam Threatens Upper Kluet Region of the Leuser Ecosystem

PT. Trinusa Energi Indonesia is planning to build the Kluet hydropower dam within the Leuser Ecosystem in South Aceh Regency, with a capacity of 180 megawatts to increase electricity supply in Aceh and North Sumatra. The project will be developed under a consortium between Indonesia and China, with a total investment up to 5.6 trillion Rupiah. Read Full Story
Wednesday, Sep 27 2017

Community Protests Tampur Hydroelectric Power Plant in the Leuser Ecosystem

The government of Aceh is planning to construct a hydroelectric power plant in the Leuser Ecosystem, within a designated protected forest area, precisely in Tampur, Gayo Lues Regency. The hydroelectric power plant is planned to be built with a 173.5 meter dam and a 697.4 million cubic meter reservoir, to produce 428 megawatts of power. The reservoir area is estimated to cover 4,000 hectares with a 275 KVA high-voltage air... Read Full Story
Monday, Aug 14 2017

PT. Surya Panen Subur II failing to stop illegal fires and destruction of Tripa peatland

GPS: 3°46'12.65"N, 96°35'49.20"E – Clearance of the Leuser Ecosystem’s critically important Tripa peatland has continued inside the notorious PT. Surya Panen Subur II palm oil concession. In the month leading up to June 9, 2017, new peat drainage canals were built, illegal fires were lit to clear land, and a total of 24 hectares of forest were lost inside the concession. This area is considered of special importance for the... Read Full Story
Friday, Jul 21 2017

PT. Agra Bumi Niaga: Continues to destroy elephant habitat and sell Conflict Palm Oil to Suppliers of Major Brands Across the Globe

A RAN field investigation has unearthed evidence of ongoing destruction of critical elephant habitat by PT. Agra Bumi Niaga just months after the company was exposed for clearing 324 hectares of forests in breach of the President of Indonesia’s moratorium. Investigators have tracked the supply of oil palm fruit from this controversial plantation to nearby crude palm oil processing mill owned by PT. Ensem Sawita a supplier to six of... Read Full Story
Monday, Jul 17 2017

Critically Endangered Orangutans Lose Habitat To Make Way For New Plantations

Three days in a row, five orangutans saved from plantations in Pancasila Sub-village, Mekar Makmur Village, Sei Lepan Sub-district, Langkat District, North Sumatra. The orangutan was under the threat of being injured by the local people who considered them as a pest. This orangutan is predicted to be isolated inside plantation area. The HOCRU team conducted the rescue in collaboration with WCS, BKSDA and Gunung Leuser National park authorities. Photo... Read Full Story
Monday, Jun 19 2017

PT. Tualang Raya Continues To Destroy Elephant Habitat In Breach of Moratorium

GPS: 4°46'01.57"N, 97°31'15.26"E–Field investigations have once again confirmed active clearance of lowland rainforests by PT. Tualang Raya for a new palm oil plantation. For nearly two years, Rainforest Action Network has documented the destruction of the world’s best remaining habitat for the critically endangered Sumatran elephant by this rogue actor. Satellite imagery shows that over 130 hectares have been cleared since the announcement of a moratorium on the clearance of... Read Full Story

About Leuser Watch

The Leuser Ecosystem is a spectacular expanse of rare, intact rainforest that is the only place left on Earth where tigers, orangutans, elephants and rhinos live together in the wild.

RAN and our allies are fighting hard to stop the destruction of this globally important landscape and to protect the millions of people who depend on it. This is a watchdog site for alerts about regional breaches of the Indonesian government moratorium on forest destruction for palm oil as well as a clearinghouse for news on select Leuser-related conservation developments.
Learn more about the Leuser Ecosystem