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Rangers struggle to protect wildlife in Kutai National Park, Borneo
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600 Orangutans live in Kutai
In his article for this Sunday's New York Times, writer Norimitsu Onishi reports from Borneo on the conflict between national law and provincial economic interest concerning the protected lowland rainforest of Kutai National Park.
He reports as much as 490,000 acres have been damaged due to local government sanctioned development, deforestation, and harvesting of natural resources. The park is home to many rare species including Sambar Deer, Wild Oxen, and most endangered, Orangutans. The Orangutan population in the park stands at about 600. This number represents an 80% decrease since 1999.
The 40 mile, two lane road through the park is main source of the land encroachment. When the park opened in the 1980s there were two villages, now there are seven, and forestry officials estimate 27,000 people now live inside park lands. Also, many businesses have sprouted up along the road, including bars, hotels and even a brothel. A new gas station and bus terminal are scheduled to open soon. One resident who bought his house in the 80s, says the value has increased 10 fold due to the expansion.
Squatters, who use trees in the park to build their homes and business on both sides of the road, are slowly creeping further into wild areas. Coal, gas, and oil companies continue to operate in the park, and forest trees are cleared by the truck load. The timber is used to make tropical hardwood furniture, and the land used to farm palm oil. Neighboring area East Kutai is lobbying to excise 10% of the park to make into a subdistrict. All of the construction and development comes at the encouragement of local governments who favor economic growth over conservation.
Kutai's 27 park rangers try to enforce anti-building and squatting regulations, but have had their hands tied since control of the park shifted from the centralized government to regional authorities. Head of Kutai National Park, Tandya Tjahjana, says that national park infringement is common in Indonesia, "It is difficult to control construction of new houses, which is increasing, because the local governments simply ignore national laws."
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