Why Conservation?

Despite all the death and destruction, what made the people of Aceh want to protect and preserve their natural environment?

Nature Provides Livelihoods

Natural ecosystems provide sustenance and income.  They provide resources such as food and building materials, and also draws in tourists. The Acehnese depend on nature to survive. Unless conservation objectives were explicitly incorporated into government planning, reconstruction efforts would merely accelerate the pressures on vulnerable coastal and forest ecosystems. The impacts on local communities would be far greater in the long run if the environment were left to degrade.

External Support

Never before has Aceh received so much international attention and support. For all the misery and suffering that the tsunami caused, there is no denying that it has brought some benefits as well. The tsunami was the catalyst in resolving the civil war and made the world realise how much environmental importance was in Aceh. It is the last remaining area where 5 big mammals are living in one place; Tigers, Rhinos, Elephants, Sun Bears and Orangutans. As a result, many NGOs are spurred and committed to save this treasure.

The End of Hostilities and A New Start

The end of the civil war meant that both sides could redirect their focus on more noble efforts. A former  member  of  GAM  was elected Governor of Aceh in 2006 and promoted the concept  of ‘Green  Aceh’,  outlining  a ‘green  future’  for  the province,  including  an  exploration  of  the  prospects  for monetarisation of ecosystem services. Aceh was also finally included in the Indonesian State’s conservationists plans. For example, one of the major on-going mangrove rehabilitation efforts in Aceh is a re-planting program through the central government funded National Movement for Forest and Land Rehabilitation project (Gerakan Nasional Rehabilitasi Hutan dan Lahan).

Read on to find out some actions and programmes the Acehnese took to preserve their environment!

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