The Ulu Masen forest is one of the largest contiguous forest blocks in Indonesia, spanning an area of 750000 hectare. The project to avoid deforestation in the Ulu Masen forest involved many non-governmental organisations and aid agencies such as Fauna and Flora International, Carbon Conservation, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Deutsche Gesellschaftfür Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
As part of the tsunami recovery efforts, the different agencies worked together with local communities to create the District Spatial Plan. This was a map and action plan which took into local views and needs while at the same time ensuring that the forest was utilised in a sustainable way. The District Spatial Plan was formally accepted by the Aceh Jaya Planning Agency.
There were also other localised efforts. A wildlife management programme relocated a number of tigers and crocodiles, and educated the locals on methods to avoid human-wildlife conflict. Aid agencies worked with local farming cooperatives to restore tsunami-damaged farmland, instead of creating new ones in the rainforests. Houses were rebuilt using design and materials that reduced environmental impact. NGOs and local enforcement joined forces to track and stop illegal logging activities in the Ulu Masen.
Flora and Fauna International documented some of these programmes.
Overview of Ulu Masen Conservation:
http://www.fauna-flora.org/wp-content/uploads/Livelihoods__Conservation_Aceh.pdf
Tracking illegal logging activity:
http://www.fauna-flora.org/wp-content/uploads/Tackling-Illegal-Logging-in-Ulu-Mased-Aceh.pdf