Planning to remove UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sumatra from being ‘In Danger’

A critical analysis of threats to the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (TRHS), a UNESCO World Heritage Site 'in danger' since 2011, identifies road infrastructure development as the primary anthropogenic threat. The study proposes three urgent actions: establishing an inter-ministerial body to coordinate conservation efforts and mitigate road impacts; improving Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) through standardized training programs; and elevating existing regulations to a presidential-level policy to ensure consistency across sectors. These measures aim to address the fragmentation of protected areas, which endangers 85% of Sumatran orangutans, 65% of tigers, and other keystone species. The TRHS spans three national parks (Bukit Barisan Selatan, Kerinci Seblat, and Gunung Leuser) covering over 2.5 million hectares, with corrective actions requiring cross-agency collaboration to align subnational developments with central policies.

Setyawati, T., Nando, S., Marthy, W., Andayani, N., Sheherazade, & Linkie, M. (2020). Planning to remove UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sumatra from being ‘In Danger’. Animal Conservation, 24(2), 149–152. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12626