Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra
A UNESCO World Heritage property comprising three national parks that protect major rainforest ecosystems on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Gunung Leuser National Park: A protected area in northern Sumatra spanning tropical forests, mountains, and important wildlife habitat. The northernmost component protects rainforest habitat for orangutans, elephants, and other species.
UNESCO World Heritage Site: A cultural or natural place inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List for outstanding universal value. This designation supplies the international framework for recognizing the property’s significance.
UNESCO World Heritage Committee: The intergovernmental body responsible for implementing the World Heritage Convention. The committee inscribed the property and later added it to the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Illegal logging: The harvesting or trade of timber in violation of applicable laws. Illegal extraction undermines protection within parts of the property.
Kerinci Seblat National Park: A large protected area in the Bukit Barisan range of central Sumatra. This central park forms the largest component of the World Heritage property.
World Heritage in Danger: A UNESCO list of World Heritage properties facing serious and specific threats. The property was placed on this list in 2011 amid threats including roads, encroachment, and poaching.
World Heritage Convention: The 1972 international treaty establishing cooperation to protect cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value. The convention provides the treaty basis for the property’s World Heritage status.
Road ecology: The study of how roads affect ecological processes, wildlife, and landscapes. Road proposals and construction raise questions about access, fragmentation, and enforcement.
Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park: A protected area along the southern Bukit Barisan range of Sumatra. Its forests and mountains make up the property’s southern component.
Deforestation in Indonesia: The loss or degradation of forest cover across the Indonesian archipelago. Forest conversion and fragmentation threaten the ecosystems the property protects.