7
May
2021

Gunung Leuser National Park Indonesia, Asia

Legacy Landscapes Fund Project Candidate | Status 05/2021

The Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) is located on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Here it lies at the heart of the Leuser ecosystem, which spans an area of more than 26,000 km² and is one of Southeast Asia’s largest intact rainforest ecosystems.

GLNP is the only place on earth that is home, collectively, to the wild tiger, orangutan, elephant, and rhino. The Leuser ecosystem contains approximately 150 individuals of the critically endangered Sumatran tiger. It also provides crucial habitats for numerous other critically endangered animals, including 11,700 Sumatran orangutans, more than 350 Sumatran elephants, and a viable population of Sumatran rhinos, one of the most threatened mammals on earth.

The park’s outstanding environmental, cultural, and economic values have been recognized through numerous international designations: for example, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its 43 forest watersheds provide key ecosystem services to more than 6.9 million people.

Key Threats

  • Habitat loss caused by forest conversion to palm oil plantation
  • Illegal logging, mining, and encroachment
  • Expanding illegal settlements

Key Activities

  • Strengthen protected area management capacities and forest management units
  • Engage stakeholders, mitigate social risks and human-wildlife incidents
  • Roll out sustainable land use management strategies

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© Eleanor Briggs / WCS
© Eleanor Briggs / WCS
7
May
2021

Central Cardamom Mountains National Park, Cambodia

Legacy Landscapes Fund Project Candidate | Status 05/2021

The Central Cardamom Mountains National Park is Cambodia’s first designated protected area. It is situated in South East Cambodia at the center of the Cardamom Mountains Rainforest Landscape, the largest wilderness area in mainland Southeast Asia, covering more than 10,000 km².

Over 96 percent of the national park is intact, as its forest cover suffered only low levels of deforestation compared to surrounding forest areas. Consequently, Central Cardamom Mountains National Park provides critical habitats to over 400 vertebrate species, 70 fish species, and over 200 plant species, many of which are endemic to this region. Additionally, the park functions as a vital watershed in Cambodia, accounting for an estimated 30% of the dry season freshwater flows to the Tonle Sap Lake, Southeast Asia’s most important inland fishery.

Widespread poverty among local communities is a main driver for increased pressure on the park, such as the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources. For this reason, livelihood programs for local communities are a key focus area of the park management and its international and national partners. Long-term conservation efforts are needed, given that Cambodia is ranked as one of the countries most vulnerable to the impact of climate change.

Key Threats

  • Inadequate funding for conservation efforts
  • Accelerating exploitation of natural resources
  • Illegal logging and poaching

Key Activities

  • Improve protected area management capabilities
  • Collaborate with local communities in protected area management and expand livelihood opportunities
  • Reduce drivers of deforestation and conserve key species

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© David Emmet / Conservation International
© David Emmet / Conservation International