This village is part of the Leuser Ecosystem–six and a half million acres of spectacular rainforest on the island of Sumatra. It’s the last place on Earth where Sumatran orangutans, rhinos, Asian elephants, and tigers still live together in the wild. The forest near Panton Raya Village boasts an incredible list of endangered species. There are Sumatran tigers, orangutans, langurs, siamangs (an endangered species of gibbon), and cicem pala birds (this is Aceh’s mascot, and increasingly rare). There are also wild quail, and in the river, freshwater kerling fish, eels, and shrimp. 

The village sits on a mountain slope. On one side, the Krueng Dekilla River flows towards an estuary that is about five to seven kilometers away. The river provides water for irrigation and drinking. 

Most people in Panton Raya are farmers and fishers. They are closely tied to the rainforest and have strong cultural and economic reasons to keep it healthy. The area they manage contains forest—full of the famous wildlife of the Leuser Ecosystem—and some small rice fields. People harvest many non-timber products from the forest, including durian, areca nuts, and bamboo. 

The community is committing to protect the forest from encroachers who cut trees illegally and poach wild animals. To prevent erosion, they will ensure that no one disturbs forest cover along the slopes. They will also look out for fires, and prohibit after-harvest burning of rice fields. They have agreed on customary sanctions to enforce these rules.

The village is eager to have a place to gather and discuss conservation, and will use a Seacology grant to build a community center. It will host alternative livelihood trainings: for example, goat, sheep, and buffalo farming, honey production, and growing native sweet potato. Our project partner will also present workshops on health and sanitation, illegal hunting, and environmental education.