The Kerinci Seblat National Park

The Kerinci Seblat National Park stretches across more than one million hectares and four provinces in western Sumatra. It is the island's largest national park. Habitats here range from lowland rainforest to montane forest and alpine formations found around the volcanic Mt.Kerinci which, at 3,605m, is Indonesia's highest mountain outside Irian Jaya. The park also protects water catchment systems for a number of important rivers and streams which are the principal water sources for the millions of peo ple who live throughout central Sumatra.

It is home to a great variety of bird, animal and plant species. More than 4,000 plant species are believed to grow here, including 300 species of orchids and rare mountain edelweiss. The world's largest flower (Rafflessia arnoldi) and tallest flower (Am orphophallus) are also found here. Over 180 bird species live in the park, as well as almost 200 mammal species many of which are seriously endangered, such as the Sumatran rhino, elephant, tapir, and tiger.

One of the main problems affecting park development and conservation is the spiralling population within and just outside the park boundaries. More than 270,000 people currently live within the park in the Kerinci valley and are involved in agricultural encroachment, logging, and poaching. Large-scale commercial enterprises, particularly in forestry, plantation cropping,and especially cinammon trees also pose a threat to the viability of the park. Government road-building and other state-sponsored develo pment activities have not helped matters.

In Kerinci Seblat, WWF has concentrated on tackling management issues and developing better people-park interaction. It is seeking to build a solid base of support and awareness in the government and among local communities. Its projects focus on social f orestry and promoting conservation awareness in conjunction with local radio stations and school curriculum.

It has also conducted research on land use patterns using field observation and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. This is designed to help organize an effective system of park management. The emphasis is on demarcation of park boundaries thr ough community consensus, on organizing a viable zoning plan for the park which would allow some areas to continue to function as traditional-use zones, and on conflict resolution in frequently identified people-park disputes. The Indonesia Programmes Int egrated Conservation and Development Program (ICDP) for the park seeks to stabilize park boundaries and protect biodiversity while also enhancing the livelihood of local communities and reducing their incentive to appropriate park resources to meet their subsistence needs. This ICDP work is supported by a number of international donor agencies.


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