Land cover change in Batang Toru
Migration from the island of Nias to the West Batang Toru forests over the last two decades has been largely spontaneous. These settlers have opened up primary forests for agriculture and hunt many species of local wildlife, including orangutans. Currently at least eight Nias communities have been established inside the protected forest in the Batang Toru area, leading to the loss of more than 2,200 ha of orangutan forest habitat in specifically the south-western corner of the area.
Year: 2011
From collection: Orangutans and the Economics of Sustainable Forest Management in Sumatra
Cartographer: Riccardo Pravettoni, UNEP/GRID-Arendal