Indonesia Moves Families to Restore Sumatran Wildlife Haven

One small elephant calf named Domang is at the heart of Indonesia's most ambitious conservation comeback story in decades.

Tesso Nilo National Park in Sumatra lost nearly four-fifths of its ancient forest since 2009, despite being protected land. Illegal oil palm farms had carved up what should have been a safe haven for some of the world's rarest animals, including Sumatran elephants and tigers.

Last year, Indonesian officials launched a groundbreaking program to restore the park by relocating hundreds of farming families who had settled inside its boundaries. The government calls it a new model that could help rescue other protected forests across the country.

The park covers more than 200,000 acres, larger than New York City. It's home to thousands of plant species and serves as critical habitat for animals found nowhere else on Earth.

Indonesia's Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni says the Tesso Nilo restoration will serve as a blueprint for saving national parks across Asia's largest tropical forests. Officials have already reclaimed several thousand acres of illegal plantations and begun the careful work of moving families to new locations.

The program hasn't been without challenges. Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights has provided oversight to ensure families are treated fairly during the transition. A three-month relocation deadline was extended after the commission raised concerns about protecting people's rights and livelihoods.

The Ripple Effect

The restoration effort in Tesso Nilo is part of a massive nationwide push to reclaim more than 8 million acres of illegally farmed forest land. Officials are working to balance conservation needs with respect for the thousands of smallholder farmers affected by the changes.

What makes this approach different is the commitment to doing it right. Rather than simply forcing people out, authorities are coordinating with human rights watchdogs and community leaders to ensure families have support during the transition.

For Domang and the other rare wildlife in Tesso Nilo, the intervention represents a fighting chance at survival. Sumatran elephants and tigers are critically endangered, with their numbers dwindling as habitat disappears.

The success in Tesso Nilo could light the way for similar recoveries across Indonesia's vast network of protected forests, proving that even severely damaged ecosystems can bounce back when people commit to making things right.

After two decades of watching one of their most precious parks disappear, Indonesians are finally seeing their forest return.