Protect the amazing Leuser Ecosystem forever!

To the Honorable Governor Dr. Zaini Abdullah,

Some places in the world are too important to lose, including the Leuser Ecosystem in your home province of Aceh.

The people of Aceh have long fought to protect the Leuser Ecosystem as it provides them with clean water for downstream irrigation, agriculture and food production and helps avoid soil erosion, flooding, landslides and pest outbreaks. The Leuser Ecosystem is also home to the densest population of orangutans remaining anywhere in the world and is the only place where orangutans, tigers, elephants, rhinos and sun bears live in the same forest together.

I am writing to let you know that people all across the world understand the value of Aceh’s forests to the people and communities who live there and to encourage you to nominate the Leuser Ecosystem as a new UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Aceh is rightfully proud of its forests and has the potential to show that governments can take action to protect the livelihoods of their peoples and forests. Under your leadership Aceh could become a shining example of how economic growth, well being of citizens, and proactive conservation can go hand in hand.

I understand that the government of Aceh is considering a plan that would remove large regions of forest from the Leuser Ecosystem protected area, opening them up to palm oil and pulp plantations, logging, mining, and new roads and infrastructure. I am concerned about this plan because the lives and livelihoods of local communities will be put at risk by developing sensitive areas that are not suitable for development. Additionally, it will lead to the loss of critical habitat for endangered species and valuable carbon sinks.

There must be another vision for Aceh that does not require the destruction of this world-class area and the impacts on the communities around it.

The Leuser Ecosystem, including its biodiverse lowland forests, deserves to be recognized as a stand alone World Heritage Site. Under your leadership this unique and important area could be protected forever and new ways of securing long-term income for the people of Aceh could by found with the support of the international community.

We urge you both as the Governor of this beautiful province and as a man dedicated to the welfare of your people to reject the plan that will allow the destruction of the Leuser Ecosystem and take action to proceed in nominating the Leuser Ecosystem to receive the global recognition it deserves.

Yours in hope.