HUTAN LINDUNG TORMATUTUNG RUSAK BERAT [metrotvnews]
2008 Juli 20
Minggu, 20 Juli 2008 21:27 WIB – Illegal Logging, Asahan: Kawasan hutan di sepanjang sungai telah gundul akibat perambahan liar. Sementara sebagian hutan lainnya telah berubah fungsi menjadi perkebunan kelapa sawit.
baca selengkapnya di metrotvnews
Several years ago I corresponded with a North Sumatran fellow who ran the former SumaTerra business and I encouraged him to campaign for protection of the the rain forests and swamp forests of the Asahan area of North Sumatra.
The rain forests surrounding the Asahan River are among the most beautiful in all Indonesia and teeming with biodiversity…fresh water crocodiles (Siamese crocs or false gavials…we aren’t sure which), Sumatran tigers, agile gibbons, possibly rhinoceroses, Asian elehpants, clouded leopards, hornbills, parrots and much more are all in very close proximity to Lake Toba, coupled with the spectacular topography and towering waterfalls have the potential to be a major (and wonderful!)international travel destination. Or they could end up a biological desert like so much of western Indonesia has over the past generation.
I vote for a great travel destination with glorious natural forest scenery and wildlife for all to see and enjoy. But for that to happen it will be necessary for the world to first KNOW it is there.
Please someone photograph the wild jungles of the Asahan area, show them to the world and get an ecotourism business going here while it can still be done. Sooner or later I am going to go there too…that is if it is still there!