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batang toru/

hadabuan hills

landscape

indonesia

A mere two to three decades ago the now famous Batang Toru Forest Ecosystem was once connected to the poorly known Hadabuan Hills Landscape.

our work

Batang Toru Ecosystem

 

The Batang Toru Ecosystem gained international recognition in 2017 when the orangutan population in that area was described as a separate species. With less than 800 individuals reportedly remaining, the Tapanuli Orangutan is the most globally threatened great ape and is listed as Critically Endangered. With the support of the ARCUS Foundation, PRCF´s programs are conducted together with three local partner organizations: (Orangutan Information Centre, Sumatran Rainforest Institute, and Healthy Planet Indonesia). Through community based measures we seek to stabilize the forest and the population of this Critically Endangered ape alongside two Endangered gibbon species – Siamang and Agile Gibbon.

The program engages 12 priority villages with interventions involving, promotion of sustainable agriculture through agroforestry and permaculture, community forestry, facilitation of market access for biodiversity-friendly produce such as coffee, gibbon distribution surveys, establishing village self-help groups run by women, and community conservation agreements linked to an incentive program.

our work

Hadabuan Hills

The Hadabuan Hills Landscape is largely unknown despite it being an oasis of rich biodiversity surrounded by oil palm plantations. It stretches across 125,000 ha of hill and mountain forest of which at least 75,000 ha is still in a very good condition. The forests are home to a plethora of species of global conservation concern, including the Sumatran Tiger and Helmeted Hornbill.

Together with our local partner – Yayasan Alam Liar Sumatera – we are securing the landscape and its rich biodiversity through a network of village forests that would transfer the management rights to local communities, alleviating the current tragedy of the commons and lack of management that has resulted in rampant illegal logging, mining, poaching, and forest conversion to oil palm plantations.

In 2022 PRCF started with the facilitation of securing the management rights for 4,000 ha of forest for one village under Indonesia’s Social Forestry Scheme with subsequent efforts to build the capacity of the target village for sustainable livelihoods and conservation management, getting the village ready to receive long-term results-based finance for conservation outcomes. Through a partnership with Livelihoods Venture, a scale up to around 15 villages is expected within the next 3 years, whereby we would secure over 30,000 ha of high conservation value forest through long-term conservation management by local communities.

our work

Hadabuan Hills

 

 

The Hadabuan Hills Landscape is largely unknown, despite it being an oasis of rich biodiversity surrounded by oil palm plantations. It stretches across 125,000 ha of hill and mountain forests, of which at least 75,000 ha are still in good condition. The forests are home to an abundance of species of global conservation concern, including the Sumatran Tiger, Helmeted Hornbill, and Agile and Siamang Gibbon.

Together with our local partner, Yayasan Alam Liar Sumatera – we are securing the landscape and its rich biodiversity through a network of village forests (Hutan Desa) that would provide forest management rights to local communities, alleviating the current tragedy of the commons and lack of effective  management that has resulted in rampant illegal logging, mining, poaching, and forest conversion to oil palm plantations.

In 2022, PRCF started to facilitate securing management rights for 4,000 ha of forest for one village under Indonesia’s Social Forestry Scheme, with subsequent efforts to build the capacity of the target village for sustainable livelihoods and conservation management, preparing the village to receive long-term results-based finance for conservation outcomes. Through a partnership with Livelihoods Venture, a scale-up to around 15 villages is expected within the next three to five years;  whereby we would help secure over 30,000 ha of high conservation value forest through long-term conservation management by local communities.

Working With Local Communities

 

 

An integral part of the PRCF mission is to foster harmonious coexistence between communities that rely on natural resources and threatened ape species inhabiting the same landscapes, particularly as these species face growing risks from habitat loss and fragmentation.

 

We firmly believe that empowering local communities with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to manage their landscapes sustainably is crucial for both their own long-term livelihoods and the preservation of vital ecosystems. By strengthening community capacity, we lay the foundation for effective stewardship of natural resources, which not only stabilizes critical forest areas but also safeguards the future of highly threatened species like the Tapanuli Orangutan. This approach fosters a sense of shared responsibility and partnership, enabling communities to actively participate in conservation efforts while continuing to benefit from the forests they call home. Ultimately, such collaborative landscape management is essential for building resilient ecosystems and ensuring a harmonious balance between human well-being and wildlife conservation for generations to come.