Gunung Leuser National Park Research Articles

Strategy for the Development of Tangkahan Tourism Objects in Gunung Leuser National Park as a Tourist Destination for Langkat Regency

This study aims to determine and explain the strategy for developing the Tangkahan tourist attraction in Gunung Leuser National Park as a tourist destination in Langkat Regency using SWOT analysis. The type of research used is qualitative-descriptive, while data collection techniques use three methods, namely observation, interviews, and documentation. The data analysis technique used is to reduce data, present data, and draw conclusions. Data validation techniques in this study used two types of triangulation, namely technical triangulation and source triangulation. The research results obtained SO strategies: (1) Promote natural potential and various flora and fauna in Langkat Regency by using the development of information technology and social media; (2) Improving the quality of Gunung Leuser National Park as a natural school. WO strategies: (1) improve facilities and infrastructure in the Tangkahan area; (2) Improving the quality of human resources; (3) Educating the public in terms of preserving historical heritage and regional cultural customs. ST strategy: (1) Utilizing and developing natural potential which is still large and beautiful in Tangkahan; (2) Providing Tourism Awareness education and training (DARWIS) and SAR training. WT strategy: (1) Conduct mediation and negotiation (cooperation and partnership) between tourism stakeholders and PTPN; (2) Compile a mapping of historical and archaeological preservation in Langkat Regency.

Assessing the impacts of local intention on community-based wildlife ecotourism in Tangkahan, Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) and the development strategy in the post- COVID-19 outbreak

Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) has been implemented to evaluate the structure of behavioral change of the local communities in the forest and wildlife conservation program in Tangkahan, the eastern part of GLNP. This study has the purpose to reveal the determinant factors of local community behavior to support forest and wildlife conservation through ecotourism activities and to formulate a strategy to recover wildlife ecotourism in the post-COVID-19 outbreak. The study was conducted in Tangkahan through a survey method to collect the data. The data were analyzed using linear regression analysis. This study found that the determinant factors of behavioral intention are the conservation attitude and perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention significantly affects the behavior to participate in conservation activities. To improve the visiting number and the ecotourism service in Tangkahan in the post-COVID 19 outbreak, the community should transform and develop the management system from a conventional to virtual/digital method, develop and follow the COVID-19 protocol of ecotourism, re-arrange the ticket fee and the tour packages to cope with domestic visitors and improve the access to the area by constructing the roads and provision of transportation services.

Daily behavioral research on Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) mothers and offsprings at Suaq Balimbing Research Station, Gunung Leuser National Park, Aceh Province, Indonesia

Abstract. Sutekad D, Jannah M, Fitri L, Fauziah F. 2022. Daily behavioral research on Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) mothers and offsprings at Suaq Balimbing Research Station, Gunung Leuser National Park, Aceh Province, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 5108-5121. Discovering the daily behavior of female orangutan mothers and their offspring can provide information for use as a recent reference in orangutan conservation action plans. This research aims to determine the daily behavioral patterns of mother and offspring Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) at the Suaq Balimbing research station. This study was conducted between June 2019 and March 2020 and used focal animal sampling as the method. The method used consists of searching and daily behavioral logging. The results of the research showed that six orangutan mothers and offsprings (three mother-offspring pairs) showed different behavioral patterns. The distinction was felt in the distribution of time spent on activities. Eating, moving, resting, nesting, and social activity are all part of an orangutan's daily behavior. The proportion of time allocation used in the daily activities of female mother and Sumatran orangutan pairs (Pongo abelii) that is successfully observed in the Suaq Balimbing research station are eating (68.79%), resting (11.59%), moving (11.02%), nesting (1.11%), others (5.04%) and unknown (2.45%). Orangutans' diet plants in Suaq Balimbing consist of 30 species from 25 families, including the liana diet, plants consumed with the seeds, and plants consumed by the bark. According to the findings of this study, the behavior of a mother Sumatran orangutan, while it is with its offspring can be described.

PEMBUATAN RANCANG BANGUN PRASARANA PUBLIK UNTUK PENGEMBANGAN ECO TOURISM BATU KATAK KECAMATAN BAHOROK – LANGKAT

Province of North Sumatra has tremendous potential of tourism. This tourism object can be enjoyed by tourists, both local and foreign. Some of the attractions of North Sumatra that can be visited are Lake Toba, Samosir Island, Sibolga Beach, Berastagi and Bahorok which is located in Langkat Regency. Another tourist destination included in the Gunung Leuser National Park area is Tangkahan. Tangkahan has a unique selling point because it is a habitat for Sumatran elephants. Another choice of place that is no less interesting and can be enjoyed by the beauty of the environment is the ecotourism of Batu Katak which is located in Batu Katak Hamlet, Batujongjong Village, Bahorok District, Langkat. In the tourism sector, two factor: benefits and satisfaction of tourist are related to Tourism Resource and Tourist Service. Tourist objects and attractions are everything that exists in a tourist destination area that has its own charm and is able to invite tourists to visit. To increase the number of local and foreign tourists in North Sumatra, the government of North Sumatra continues making more improvements to facilities of tourism destinations, including the development of human resources. Other infrastructure matters that are not yet complete are rest areas, clean toilets, prayer rooms, halal cuisine, and area pointers (maps, signs, and so on). The purpose of this research is to design public infrastructure that is needed for the development of eco-tourism Batu Frog. The infrastructure includes toilets, tourist interpretation boards, hand washing (sanitation) places, trash cans, and road/way signs. The infrastructure created must meet the requirements of Clean Health Safety Environmental Sustainability (CHSE). With this infrastructure, it is expected to provide better services for tourists so that the number of visits in North Sumatra continues to increase. The success of eco-tourism development in Batu Katak is also expected to increase the income and welfare of the surrounding community. The specific objectives of this research are 1) Designing environmentally friendly supporting infrastructure as an effort to improve services to tourists who meet CHSE requirements, and 2) Making Detailed Engineering Design (DED) or bestek of toilets, tourist interpretation boards, hand washing places. , trash cans and directional/road signs. The stages that will be carried out in this research are problem identification, setting research objectives, literature and field studies conducted by interview and direct observation. The next stage is data processing and designing the initial design proposal.

Examining the Economic Value of Tourism and Visitor Preferences: A Portrait of Sustainability Ecotourism in the Tangkahan Protection Area, Gunung Leuser National Park, North Sumatra, Indonesia

North Sumatra Province has the Tangkahan Nature Tourism Area, which represents ecotourism managed by local communities, established in 2001, which has now become the leading tourism destination of North Sumatra both locally and internationally. Tangkahan ecotourism is an example of payment for environmental services for the Tangkahan community, which initially carried out illegal logging in the mount Leuseur national park and then agreed to preserve the national park through ecotourism. This study aims to analyze the economic value of tourism and the preferences of tourists to revisit, along with the factors that influence them, where these conditions can be an illustration of the sustainability of Tangkahan ecotourism. The travel cost method is used to calculate the economic value of Tangkahan Ecotourism environmental services. The factors that affect the economic value, intensity of visits, and interest in revisiting, were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The results showed that Tangkahan ecotourism has a relatively high economic value, supported by the intensity and interest of tourist visits. Factors that affect the economic value and preferences of tourist visits can be managed for the sustainability of Tangkahan ecotourism so as not to lose the economic value of the ecotourism environmental services.

The diversity of plant species in the ecotourism zone of Gunung Leuser National Park, Tangkahan, Indonesia

Gunung Leuser National Park (TNGL) is one of Indonesia's conservation areas, serving as a haven for various plants and animals. The ecotourism zone is a part of the utilization zone in the GLNP area that is intended for the development of ecotourism and has a high diversity of plant species. However, information concerning the potential of plants in the GLNP's ecotourism zone has not been widely disseminated. The present study aims to inventory plant species in Gunung Leuser National Park's ecotourism zone. The exploration method was used in this study, which lasted from November to December 2021. A total of 47 plant species from 30 families were discovered in the study area, with Apocynaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, and Solanaceae having the most species. These plants have a variety of uses, including food, spices, ornamental plants, and materials for traditional/ritual ceremonies.

Analysis of land cover changes due to forest fires in Gunung Leuser National Park, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia

Abstract. Thoha AS, Saraswita N, Sulistiyono N, Wiranata D, Sirait SM, Inaldi R. 2022. Analysis of land cover changes due to forest fires in Gunung Leuser National Park, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 1420-1426. Forest and land fires occur almost every year with significant impacts and losses on the environment and various sectors including conservation areas. Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) is a conservation area in danger of losing its forest cover due to slash-and-burn land clearing. This study aimed to analyze land cover changes due to forest and land fires in GLNP of North Sumatera Province. Data of hotspots, satellite images, land cover maps, and field verification were used to see the transition of land cover changes before and after forest and land fires. Temporal and spatial analyses were carried out to see the trend of these changes. Field surveys were also conducted to verify hotspots as locations for forest fires, burned land, and human activities causing the fires. This study found that 2010 had the highest hotspots reported from 2001 to 2019. There were indications of a fairly massive forest fire in 2010, as evidenced by the identification of burned land on satellite images. The burned land was near the outer boundary of the GLNP area and expanded into the area in the following period. Before 2010, the area of the non-forest cover was not too large. After 2010, there was an increase in non-forest land cover, presumably due to increased access to enter the area after the forest was cleared after the fire. During almost 20 years, the primary dryland forest in the study area remained only 6% of the initial area. At least more than 200 ha of forest area is reduced in the study area every year. The burned lands in the following years tended to become plantation land. Plantation land cover increased by around 90% during 2000-2019 in the research sites. This study expects that GLNP management and various parties need to prevent the expansion of forest clearing because the strategic role of GLNP as a world heritage is currently in danger.

Perjuangan Pengakuan Hak Kelola Lahan bagi Pengungsi Aceh di Kawasan Taman Nasional Gunung Leuser

Gunung Leuser national park covers an area of 830,268.95 hectares which has been designated as a national park since 1980. It has been managed by the Indonesian government through Gunung Leuser National Park Center. Ecological zonation systems have been implemented in the management. However, since about 1999, groups of refugees who escaped from the Aceh conflict have resided in the national park. They transformed the dry or bush landscape which is designated for conservation area into settlements, as well as rubber and oil palm plantations. The national park authority considers their activities illegal. While the refugees, after 20 years of their activities in the park, consider themselves to have the rights to cultivate the land. They have attempted various ways to legalize their settlement and right to cultivate the area inside the park. This qualitative study aims at describing the tenurial conflict faced by refugees residing in the Gunung Leuser national park. Data were collected through interviews and participant observation. The study found the violence and harsh tension in regards to this tenurial conflict. On one hand, the refugees fight for their livelihood in the park. On the other hand, the park management tends to implement their authority to assure the original function of the national park. The government should take necessary action to resolve this long-term conflict using a rights-based approach; so the refugees, who are also the citizens of the state, could have their access to cultivate the land.

Analysis of the attractions of Tangkahan Nature Tourism Area, Gunung Leuser National Park, North Sumatra Province

Tangkahan Nature Tourism Area is one of the leading tourism destinations in Sumatera Utara Province for local, national and international tourists. It certainly has several attractions in great demand by tourists. Studies related to attractions are required as a basis for its development. The objective this research is to analyze description and attraction of the Tangkahan Nature Tourism Area, Gunung Leuser National Park, Langkat Regency, Sumatera Utara Province. Observations, structured interviews and surveys are the methods used to determine the attraction of objects. Attraction level data are analyzed using Likert Scale measurements. The results show that the natural attractions of Tangkahan include beauty of the natural panorama, elephant baths, hot springs, river tubing, patrolling with elephants, waterfalls, and river cruises, each of which has values of beauty, uniqueness, exclusiveness, and adventure. adventure. Overall attractions in the Tangkahan nature tourism area is classified into Attractive category with a total score of 2,781. The attraction in Very Attractive category (the most desired by visitors) is river cruises with a score of 432. The attractions in Interesting category are patrols with elephants (score 419), river tubing (scores 415), elephant baths (score 407), beauty natural panorama (scores 396), and waterfalls (score 379). The object in lowest attraction category (medium category) is hot spring with a score of 333.

Identification of land cover changes before and after forest and land fires in conservation areas of North Sumatra, Indonesia

Damage to conservation areas in North Sumatra can be mitigated by understanding the pattern of land cover change, which can be performed by detecting hotspots and their temporal and spatial patterns. This study aimed to explore land cover spatially and temporally before and after forest fires in the conservation areas in North Sumatra. Data on the hotspots, satellite imagery, land cover maps, and field verification were used to see the transition of land cover changes before and after forest and land fires. Temporal and spatial analysis was employed to see the trend of land cover changes of the land before and after the fires. Field verification was conducted through observations and interviews related to land cover conditions in the field caused by forest and land fires. This study found three conservation areas with the highest number of hotspots in 2014 in the period 2001-2019, including Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP), Dolok Surungan Wildlife Reserve, and Barumun Wildlife Reserve during the 2001-2019 period. In 2010 and 2014 there were strong indications of a large area of land burning in three conservation areas. The burned land was near the outer boundary of the conservation areas and continued to expand into the areas over time. The area of the non-forest cover was relatively stable between periods prior to the discovery of several hotspots. Changes in forest cover to non-forest have become more widespread after the highest number of hotspots were detected in 2010. Conservation area management and various parties need to prevent the expansion of forest clearing considering the strategic role especially in GNLP as a world heritage.

Spatial distribution of landslide vulnerability level in Langkat Regency, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia

Forest and land degradation tend increase and can trigger an increased risk of disaster. The andslide is a deadly disaster that frequently occurs in Indonesia, particularly in Langkat Regency. The study objective was to analyze the spatial distribution of landslide vulnerability levels in Langkat Regency, North Sumatera Province. The spatial distribution of landslide vulnerability level was used the Storie Index method with four variables, including rainfall, slope, soil type, and land cover type. The results of this study were the landslide vulnerability level and the area of spatial distribution with high – very high vulnerability levels. The spatial distribution of landslide vulnerability level in Langkat Regency is mostly at a moderate level with the area reaching nearly 32%, while the area of the high – very high vulnerability level is 19,77% of the total area of Langkat Regency. The widest area that occupied the high – very high landslide vulnerability level in Langkat Regency includes three districts, including Bahorok, Batang Serangan, and Sei Bingai. Areas that are very vulnerable to landslides are generally precipitous with a land cover of plantation and agricultural areas. Most of the high landslide vulnerability areas are included in the Gunung Leuser National Park area. Various parties need to pay serious attention to landslide areas with high – very high vulnerability levels to reduce disaster risk.

Primate Selfies and Anthropozoonotic Diseases: Lack of Rule Compliance and Poor Risk Perception Threatens Orangutans

Our understanding of the transmission of anthropozoonotic diseases between humans and non-human primates, particularly great apes due to their close genetic relationship with humans, highlights a serious potential threat to the survival of these species. This is particularly the case at tourism sites where risk of disease transmission is increased. We focus on the interaction between tourists and the Critically Endangered Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) at Bukit Lawang in the Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia, before and after the park was closed due to the threat of COVID-19 in April 2020. Through analysis of posts on Instagram we determine the extent of compliance by visitors with the rule to keep a minimum distance of 10 m from orangutans and assess the positional behaviours of the orangutans. Of the 2,229 photographs we assessed between November 2019 and July 2020, 279 depicted one or more orangutans. Forty-two of these contained both a human and an orangutan, and of these all showed inappropriate behaviours (direct contact, feeding orangutans, close proximity <5 m) providing direct evidence of non-compliance with the 10-m distance rule. Most of these photographs additionally showed orangutans performing abnormal positional behaviours such as being low to or on the ground rather than their natural high position in the canopy; being near the ground and in close proximity to humans increases the risk of anthropozoonotic disease transmission. As expected, we found a significant decrease in number of photographs that were posted following the closure, and a decrease in the proportion of photographs that showed orangutans, or tourists feeding orangutans. Tourists do not seem to perceive that they pose risks to the orangutans and therefore increased awareness, education and enforcement of rules by all stakeholders, tourism bodies and government officials need to be actioned in order to safeguard this important population, which is crucial to the future survival of the Sumatran orangutan.

Floristic composition and diversity at Keruing (Dipterocarpus spp.) habitat in Tangkahan, Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia

Abstract. Susilowati A, Rachmat HH, Elfiati D, Hidayat A, Hadi AN, Zaitunah A, Nainggolan D, Ginting IM. 2021. Floristic composition and diversity at Keruing (Dipterocarpus spp.) habitat in Tangkahan, Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 4448-4456. Dipterocarpus spp., or locally known as Keruing, is a wood-producing tree and has high economic value. Keruing also produces derivative products in oil and oleoresin, which are widely used as raw materials for medicines and perfumes. Keruing natural population has been severely declining caused by habitat alteration and also over exploitation. Therefore, information on the composition and diversity of the floristic community at their habitat is important as an initial step in designing conservation actions. This study aims to determine the floristic composition and diversity at the keruing habitat in the Tangkahan area, Gunung Leuser National Park (Gunung Leuser NP). A line transect has been used to establish a purposive sampling in particular forest areas where the population of the keruing is known to grow naturally. Four line transects, each with five nested plots, totaling 110 plots, were established to gather data at four growth stages. The results found 47 species at the seedling stage, 43 species at the sapling stage, 48 species at the pole stage and 65 species at the tree stage. There were three species of keruing in the research location, namely Dipterocarpus haseltii, Dipterocarpus costulatus and Dipterocarpus elongatus Korth with low IVI values ??at each stage. D. haseltii was only found at the seedling, pole and tree stage with IVI values ??of 0.32, 0.30, and 6.90, respectively. D. costulatus was only found at the tree level with an IVI value of 3.43, while D. elongatus found at the sapling and tree stage with an IVI of 0.30 and 3.42, respectively. The diversity index in the research location was in the medium category at the seedling, sapling, and pole levels with a value of 2.96, 2.86, and 2.92, respectively and was classified as high at the tree level with a value of 3.18. The evenness index (E') in all growth stages is high or evenly distributed with the value of E' &gt; 0.75. The species diversity in research location classified into medium-high category although in each stage showing dynamic on species domination. Disturbed habitat due to illegal logging and land conversion caused a problem on keruing regeneration. Conservation efforts, including active monitoring keruing occurrence, ex-situ conservation, and artificial regeneration, are needed to avoid keruing from extinction.

INTERSPECIFIC ASSOCIATION OF KAYU LASUN (Dysoxylum alliaceum) AT KETAMBE RESEARCH CENTER, GUNUNG LEUSER NATIONAL PARK DISTRICT ACEH, INDONESIA

The Ketambe Research Center is a natural laboratory and one of the nature conservation areas in Indonesia which are rich in biodiversity, located in Gunung Leuser National Park (TNGL). One of the plants found was the Kayu Lasun plant (Dysoxylum alliaceum) which has allelopathic substances. This allelopathic substance can theoretically inhibit the growth, development, and interaction (association) of other plants. The objective was to determine the association of Lasun wood (Dysoxylum alliaceum) with other plants at the Ketambe Research Center. The quadratic method was used as the research design, the station was determined by purposive sampling based on the presence of lasun wood plants (Dysoxylum alliaceum) using non-destructive sampling. Square plots were placed according to the cardinal directions. This study showed the types of plant associations in the area around Lasun wood (Dysoxylum alliaceum) at all observation points found positive and negative types with the degree (strength) of association in the weak category.

Space Adequacy Analysis Based on Population Pressure National park Area (Case Study : Putri Betung Sub District, Gayo Lues, Aceh)

The land requirement for Putri Betung Sub District in Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) area kept increasing along with the population growth. The population density in the Putri Betung Sub-district was driven by the need for cultivation and residential area along the GLNP conservation boundary. This study aims to analyze the space adequacy for Putri Betung Sub-District in the GLNP area based on the population pressure prediction for 20 years. The research method was conducted by field survey using remote sensing, interviewed the residents, and analyzed the population pressure index using the Soemarwoto formula. The Population Pressure Index (PPI) for the cultivation area was determined from 13 villages in Putri Betung Subdistrict and shows that 12 villages had a PPI 1 value (population pressure was over the land carrying capacity limits). Only one village had PPI 1 (population pressure less than the land carrying capacity. Based on data surveys obtained, the cultivation area set in the Putri Betung area was no longer sufficient for population, resulting from the expansion in the GLNP area of 4,776.97 ha. Meanwhile, predictive analysis on space adequacy for people living decently in Putri Betung Sub District for 20 upcoming years is 6117.15 ha. In conclusion, 12 out of 13 villages in the Putri Betung SubDistrict have PPI 1 value, which is inversely proportional to the land carrying capacity. The PPI values could result in other pressures on the ecology and biodiversity conservation in National Park. It is suggested that the government need to surpass the pressure by making new policy on people’s resettlement, expanding the cultivation area, or shifting people's livelihoods

Causal loop of system thinking in mitigating human tiger conflict based livelihood around Leuser

Human tiger conflict (HTC) has become serious problem in Indonesia in term of conservation effort of Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) since population of this species has declined in recent years. The threat of tiger death increases following the number of conflict accidents with humans. The solution requires a comprehensive approach, because it involves the interests of parties. This research was conducted around Gunung Leuser National Park by purposive sampling in Bahorok (Langkat Regency) and Tapaktuan (South Aceh Regency). This study used the system thinking approach in looking at the variables that affected the complexity of HTC. Analysis of needs resulted variables as controlled input of model that describing by causal loop. This study will see the interrelationship of conflict-causing factors with the livelihoods of forest communities. Five aspects of livelihood that became the focus of research consisted environmental, economic, social, human and physical resources. The causal loop of each variable reflected in a diagram.

Identification of phosphate solubilizing fungi under Scaphium macropadum stands in Gunung Leuser National Park, North Sumatra

Scaphium macropadum is a wild tree species producing important timber and medicinal fruits. As a result of overexploitation, this species has decreased its population in the wild although categorized as least concern based on the IUCN red list of threatened species. Phosphate solubilizing fungi (PSF) are a group of soil microorganisms that can increase the availability and uptake of phosphorus (P) by plants. This study aims to isolate the phosphate solubilizing fungi from the soil under Scaphium macropadum stands following its morphological identification of species. Soil sampling was carried out randomly, with a depth of 0–20 cm under 12 stands of Scaphium macropadum in Gunung Leuser National Park, North Sumatra. Isolation of PSF was carried out using Pikovskaya medium with tricalcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2) as a source of inorganic P then the solubilization activity was expressed in the solubilization index (SI). The isolates obtained were identified morphologically to the genus level. The results obtained 15 isolates of PSF with SI ranging from 0.96 to 1.16. Based on the morphological identification, all isolates were identified as members of Aspergillus.

Spatial model of deforestation using Geographic Information System (GIS) and logistic regression in Besitang forest

The existence of Besitang forests is under threat of deforestation so that its area continues to decline. Besitang forest is part of the Gunung Leuser National Park. Efforts to prevent deforestation need to be carried out with a proper deforestation policy. As a first step, it is crucial to identify the drivers of deforestation. This study aims to obtain information on the drivers of deforestation in Besitang forests from 2000 to 2016. The method used is to do spatial modeling using GIS and binary logistic regression. The results of the research show that elevation factors, distance from settlements, and distance from oil palm plantations are factors that trigger deforestation that occurs in Besitang forests.

Vegetation cover analysis and ecotourism business model for sustainable forest management in Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia

Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) is part of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage program of Sumatra that was designated by UNESCO. GLNP is very vulnerable to vegetation land cover decrease due to illegal logging, encroachment, oil palm expansion, and inappropriate management of ecotourism. GLNP authority has the responsibility to handle forest threats by estimating vegetation cover and manage the ecotourism sector. This study aims to estimate vegetation cover and investigate strategy in developing ecotourism business model for sustainable forest management in GLNP. The methods used Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI) analysis in estimating vegetation cover, and Social Enterprise - Business Model Canvas (SE-BMC) in developing a strategic business ecotourism model. NDVI was classified into 5 classes from class 1 to 5 (non-vegetation or very low dense vegetation to very high dense vegetation) based on unsupervised classification (natural breaks in ArcGIS). The results showed the largest vegetation area in GLNP belongs to class 4 (445876 ha or 32.68%) and class 5 (355018 ha or 26.02%). This indicates that the majority of GLNP by area is still densely vegetated. Based on SE-BMC analysis, GLNP management needs to collaborate with the local community and other stakeholders. We recommend improving ecotourism management and enhancing community development.

Preliminary study on plant ecology in Tangkahan Area, Gunung Leuser National Park

Gunung Leuser National Park (NP) is the biggest NP in North Sumatra. Though very few plant ecological studies were conducted there. Most studies in Gunung Leuser NP are related with protected animals, such as Sumatran Tiger, Elephant or Orang Utan. Thus, the aim of this preliminary study is to understand the plant structure and composition in the tropical forest of Gunung Leuser National Park. A 0.5-ha plot was established near Gua Kambing, Tangkahan area in November 2015. All tree species bigger than 15 cm girth were recorded, measured, and identified. The dominant species were from Dipterocarpaceae, followed by Myrtaceae and Achariaceae. The total number of trees was 693 trees or 1,386 trees/ha with the total Basal area was 42.9m2/ha and the biggest diameter was 147cm. The results from diversity index analysis ((H’=4.43; D=0.97; α=75) confirm that the forest area had a relatively high diversity, with Agrostistachis sessilifolia dominates the understory layer. The Gua Kambing area had relatively high plant diversity, less disturbance, and bigger trees than other studied areas in tropical Indonesian forests in Sumatra.