The Lorentz Nature Reserve is located in southwest Irian Jaya.
It encompasses more than two million hectares of pristine wilderness, including the snow-capped Mt Jaya, Indonesia's highest peak. All seven of Irian Jaya's major environments are represented in the park, from the alpine regions of the Carstenz and Meren
glaciers, down through upper and lower montane forests, to grasslands and the mangrove forests and swamps bordering the Arafura Sea.
The reserve is home to more than 350 bird species, of which 20 are endemic. At least 123 of Irian Jaya's 154 known mammal species, including marsupials and two types of monotreme (egg-laying mammals), can be found here. The incredible biodiversity and uni
que cultures found in Lorentz have prompted efforts to have it classified as an ASEAN and World Heritage Site, and as a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve.
Although Lorentz is relatively untouched by outside human disturbances, several thousand people, representing eight tribal groups, have lived in the reserve for many centuries. They generally follow a traditional way of life which is in harmony with the n
atural environment.
The primary threats to Lorentz come from the increasing interest in the commercial exploitation of Irian Jaya's mineral and oil deposits and in its timber reserves. The presence of the nearby Freeport mining complex is one symbol of the intensification of
this interest. Logging is already threatening southern Lorentz, and mineral and oil exploration is causing sedimentation in the Aijkwa River. Tourists have added to habitat damage by collecting firewood and leaving garbage along the trail to Mt Jaya.
The Indonesia Programme's goals in Lorentz relate to the need to secure its boundaries and legal status. Currently, WWF sees an urgent need to encourage community development to combat the threat posed by the new emphasis on a cash economy, and to coopt t
he commitments of local communities and outside interests for the greater long-term good of all.
Its projects in the reserve are oriented towards conducting research and surveys to support management planning and implementation, developing local awareness, training local staff, and developing economic incentives for enclave and boundary communities
to minimize encroachment into the reserve.
Attention is also being paid to developing a zoning system and a draft management plan which could be implemented once a proposal to upgrade Lorentz as a national park is approved. Besides, WWF will assist in a tourist impact assessment in
order to help develop infrastructure which will support and contain the number of visitors to the reserve.