Batang Toru biodiversity conservation strengthened through cross-sector collaboration

Efforts to preserve biodiversity in the Batang Toru landscape, South Tapanuli, North Sumatra, are being strengthened through cross-sector collaboration involving local communities, regional governments, and private corporations. Novita Kusuma Wardani, Head of the North Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA), stated that stakeholders have expressed readiness to allocate high-biodiversity habitat areas for conservation.

Several major companies operating in the region have initiated independent ecosystem protection programs. PT North Sumatera Hydro Energy (NSHE), the developer of the Batangtoru hydropower plant, conducts regular revegetation and installs arboreal bridges. Additionally, PT Agincourt Resources, which manages the Martabe gold mine, has established a biodiversity research station and programs for the protection of the Tapanuli orangutan.

A study by the University of Indonesia's Institute for Sustainable Earth and Resources (I-SER) indicates shifts in habitat suitability. Researcher Nurul Winarni noted that while changes in fauna habitat suitability remain relatively small due to data limitations, high-suitability areas for certain species have seen a slight decrease from 32 percent to 30 percent.