Investigation underway into forest loss for palm oil in Leuser Ecosystem

The Indonesian government’s palm oil company PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) I has responded to recent revelations published by Rainforest Action Network that lowland rainforests have been cleared within its plantation, PTPN I Blang Tualang, with a statement of commitment to being a guardian of the forests of the Leuser Ecosystem.

Aerial image of critically important lowland rainforests inside and adjacent to PTPN I Blang Tualang’s palm oil concession in need of protection. October 2018.

Mother Jones: We Need To Talk About Palm Oil

“Emma Lierley, forest policy director at the Rainforest Action Network (RAN), echoed this sentiment. “The same problems are still happening in this industry,” she said. “Deforestation is continuing, threatened species…

Elephants are Dying for Palm Oil in the Leuser Ecosystem

New satellite data obtained by RAN has revealed steady, continued deforestation taking place within one of the most critical lowland rainforest habitat corridors left in Indonesia. Located inside the globally important Leuser Ecosystem on the island of Sumatra, the active forest clearance is taking place in a palm oil concession operated by a plantation company called PT Nia Yulded (PT NY) and is occurring despite a presidential moratorium banning any further forest clearance for palm oil, which has included a special emphasis on the need to protect the biologically diverse forests of the Leuser.

A Sumatran elephant is killed by a snare set to stop elephants trampling oil palms planted inside a critical lowland rainforest corridor in the Leuser Ecosystem

Elephant Corridor Has Been Cleared by Indonesian State Company Despite Moratorium on Palm Oil by President

GPS: 4° 31′ 9.792″ N, 97° 45′ 9.234″ E

New satellite data obtained by RAN has revealed that a month after President Jokowi announced a three-year moratorium on the issuance of palm oil permits, as well as a review of existing permits, the Indonesian government-linked palm oil company PT Perkebunan Nusantara I (PTPN I) has continued to clear forests within an important corridor for the endangered Sumatran elephant inside the Leuser Ecosystem. PTPN I is operating in breach of the moratorium on forest destruction in the Leuser Ecosystem and should be subject to an investigation by the Indonesian Ministry of  Environment and Forestry.

Aerial view of lowland rainforests corridor for Sumatran Elephants that is threatened by palm oil expansion