EAST ACEH - The East Aceh District Government together with the Aceh Forest, Nature and Environment Foundation (HAkA) and Canopy Planet are committed to developing sustainable ecotourism areas for the future.

Secretary of the HAkA Foundation, Badrul Irfan said that the development of responsible tourism or ecotourism in the Leuser Ecosystem Area (KEL) is a shared obligation, both morally and commercially.

Part of East Aceh is part of the KEL which is a National Strategic Area (KSN) with an environmental carrying capacity function. KEL is one of the world's important areas that is a habitat for four large mammals, namely Elephants, Tigers, Rhinos and Orangutans which are endangered and therefore protected by law.

In addition, KEL is also an important ecosystem area that is very rich in biodiversity and unique landscapes, as well as a buffer for the Gunung Leuser National Park (TNGL) area which has the status of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (TRHS) as determined by UNESCO.

Because of its role as a buffer for the biodiversity found in TNGL, the role of KEL is not only important at the regional level, but KEL is also important at the national and even international levels.

The HAkA Foundation together with Canopy Planet are currently preparing the Leuser Ecosystem Ecotourism Master Plan. So that in the future, the Leuser Ecosystem Area (KEL), especially those included in the East Aceh administrative area, is expected to remain protected and the community around the area can prosper through ecotourism.

"In addition to being beneficial for environmental sustainability, ecotourism development can also improve the economy, empower local communities and minimize disasters such as floods, droughts, landslides and so on," said Badrul Irfan during a meeting with the East Aceh Regency Government in Idi, Monday (15/7/2024).

Ecotourism expert from the non-profit organization Canopy Planet, Jeffrey Michael Robbins or familiarly called Mike added that responsible ecotourism development is the same as protecting the environment which can provide benefits many times over. On the other hand, the benefits obtained by damaging the environment can only be enjoyed once.

He cited Costa Rica, which was named a Champion of the Earth by the UN in 2019 for its direct role in protecting nature and combating climate change. The country of more than 5 million people is known for putting environmental issues at the forefront of its political and economic policies.

Sustainable ecotourism management has made Costa Rica the most visited country in Central America, with tourism revenues tripling to $3.3 billion per year in the two decades before the Covid-19 pandemic.

International funding to conserve forests to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide has also increased. Costa Rica became the first Latin American country to benefit from the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, receiving $16.4 million in 2018 and 2019.

“In the future, communities will be the main actors, so they will realize the potential of sustainable ecotourism for the future. The community will not be marginalized like some foreign countries that implement a mass ecotourism system whose profits actually flow out (to developers), not to the community," he explained.

The Assistant for the Economy and Development of East Aceh, Dr. Darmawan Ali, ST, MSD, welcomed the arrival and the plans offered, because it is in line with the Regency Government's plan to create East Aceh as a Potential Ecotourism Area.

"We strongly support this collaboration plan because it is in line with our goal since long ago to develop ecotourism. The potential that we have is very large, such as in Simpang Jernih and Serbajadi. There are tame elephants at CRU Bunin, the Lokop River water tourism that can be used for rafting and tubing, the Sumatra Rhino Sanctuary (SRS) area which is still under construction, several waterfall spots and so on," said Darmawan Ali.

The East Aceh Regency Government, he added, is currently also preparing a Long-Term Development Plan (RPJP), a Regional Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJM) and a revision of spatial planning. Then also the Environmental Protection and Management Plan (RPPLH) so that it will be easy to synchronize with the ecotourism development plan.

Meanwhile, the Head of the East Aceh Tourism, Youth and Sports Agency (Disparpora), Syahril, S.STP, M.AP admitted that the preparation of ecotourism development has been prepared since 2015. The target is that in 2025 a Regional Regulation (Perda) or Qanun will be stipulated.

"One of them is Lokop, which is part of our plan for ecotourism development that we have started since 2015. We are targeting that in 2025 it will become a Regional Regulation. Both from coastal ecotourism, the Leuser Ecosystem Area, and other areas that attract foreign tourists," he said.

In supporting the Qanun that is beneficial for the local community, the Government has held several trainings on ecotourism development, such as bringing in speakers from Villages that have successfully developed Ecotourism in their areas.

"We continue to strive so that the development of ecotourism is in sync with community support related to the development of high-value tourism. We welcome this extraordinary plan and we are also ready to realize the commitment that is the point of discussion in this meeting," concluded Syahril.

Sources