PELALAWAN, Indonesia The Indonesian government has begun relocating hundreds of families from inside Tesso Nilo National Park in what officials describe as a bold new “model” for restoring degraded protected areas across the country.
Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said the intervention in the embattled Sumatran park would serve as a template for reclaiming conservation land lost to illegal plantations and settlement. The move comes amid a broader nationwide crackdown under President Prabowo Subianto targeting unauthorized commercial activity inside forest zones.
Massive Forest Loss Sparks Drastic Action
Established in 2004 and expanded in 2009, Tesso Nilo spans more than 81,000 hectares in Riau province. Yet satellite data from Global Forest Watch indicate the park has lost roughly 78% of its old-growth forest since the expansion, largely to smallholder oil palm plantations.
The park is one of the last strongholds of the critically endangered Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatrensis) and Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae). Officials say only around 60 elephants remain in the fragmented forest, with human-wildlife conflict incidents steadily rising over the past decade.
In response, a military-led forestry task force headed by Army General Dody Triwinarto has overseen the seizure of illegal plantations, dismantling of encampments, and relocation of communities farming within park boundaries. More than 200 families from Bagan Limau village moved to replacement land in December, with additional relocations underway in Pangkalan Gondai, Pesikaian and Baturijal Barat.
Authorities say alternative plots have been prepared by reallocating land from state and private plantation concessions outside the park.
Despite official assurances, the relocation effort has triggered scrutiny from civil society groups and Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights. Critics warn that without secure land tenure and sustainable livelihoods, displaced families could face economic hardship or become dependent on corporate plantation operators.
Some residents argue they have lived inside the park for over a decade, building schools and places of worship, though most are considered internal migrants rather than Indigenous inhabitants. The absence of formal land titles leaves many legally classified as squatters under Indonesian law.
Tensions flared last year when a forestry command post inside the park was attacked, prompting an increased security presence, including soldiers and specialized ranger units.
Environmental advocates agree that restoration of Tesso Nilo is urgent but caution against heavy-handed enforcement. “Build first, then relocate,” said Riko Kurniawan of the Riau-based NGO Paradigma, emphasizing the need for viable agricultural land and social safeguards.
The government has framed the operation partly around protecting Domang, a Sumatran elephant calf born in 2021 who became a symbol of conservation efforts. Forestry officials say restoring the park is essential to ensuring a safe habitat for the remaining elephant population.
Encroachment has also worsened flooding along the Batang Nilo River and increased wildfire risk due to land-clearing practices. Officials argue that reclaiming the park is critical not only for wildlife but also for environmental stability in Riau, Indonesia’s largest oil palm-producing province.
Yet observers warn that unless relocation policies guarantee legal certainty and long-term economic security, the intervention could merely shift pressures elsewhere rather than resolve them.
As Indonesia intensifies enforcement across national parks and forest zones, Tesso Nilo has emerged as a high-stakes test case one that could redefine how the country balances conservation, rural livelihoods and agrarian reform in the decades ahead.