Create a new National Park:
Mount Latimojong, Indonesia
Enrekang Regency, South Sulawesi
Support the creation of this National Park:
Meet the fundraising team:
Hi! We're ‘Rolling Tides,’ AKA Rylie and Tristan, a couple from Canada embarking on a two-and-a-half-year bikepacking and surf expedition. Our journey will take us over 30,000 human-powered kilometers down the length of the Americas.
In our dance with taking action for the planet while knowing we're not built for admin or political work, we took a deep dive into funding land conservation the only way we knew how: through adventure. As we travel through diverse landscapes, we aim to support efforts that safeguard biodiversity — the very foundation that allows us all to enjoy nature.
We’re proud to partner with Conserve, whose commitment to community-led conservation mirrors our own values. If you're curious to learn more about our journey, head to https://www.rollingtides.net.
Type of Proposed Protection:
National Park
Conservation Partners:
Nature Conservation Agency of South Sulawesi (BKSDA Sulawesi Tengah), regency and provincial governments (through Environmental Agency), Flora Fauna International (FFI), Celebica, Sulawesi Community Foundation
Ecoregion:
Montane Forest
Scale of the Proposed Protected Area:
66,367 Hectares
Total Declaration Cost, including protected area management and trail support:
$45,260 with matching funds
Support the designation of this National Park:
Photograph by Haeruddin Unding
Most of the Mount Latimojong area is currently Protected Forest. The foothills area is managed by local communities for coffee plantation and tourism. The area are overlapped with four indigenous area, including:
1. Pananian Sanggila (registered status)
2. Kampong Angge Buntu Dea Kaju (verified)
3. Kalupini (verified)
4. Kampong Sando Batu (registered)
Expected Timeline:
2 years.
Social implications:
The establishment of national park can support diverse options of sustainable land management that benefit the local community. However, the current overlaps of lands may create tenure conflicts.
Home to Rare Species:
Etlingera spinulosa, an endemic plant endemic to Sulawesi, found in Mount Latimojong…
Threats:
Expansion of agricultural lands for coffee and shallots and mining can threaten the integrity of the forest landscape.
Conservation Imperatives Rarity?
The area contains Sulawesi montane rain forest, which is part of Conservation Imperatives, and included in Global Safety Net with high species rarity index.
Etlingera spinulosa, an endemic plant endemic to Sulawesi, found in Mount Latimojong. Courtesy of Celebica.
Biodiversity Significance
This area is composed of 73.9% of the potential carbon stock. There is no karst nor ultramafic soil. The forest constitutes of:
1. Sub-montane 17.3%
2. Lower Montane 32.0%
3. Montane 33.1%
4. Tropical Upper Montane and Subalpine 17%
The forest area is composed of 90% of the habitat of important wildlife species, which contribute 0.5% of the total habitat of important wildlife species in the Sulawesi Islands. Important wildlife species include Anoa (Bubalus sp.), and endemic and endangered Pygmy Tarsier (Tarsius pumilus), and the mountain is also rich in Sulawesi endemic plants. The region is also culturally distinct with the presence of Massenrempulu ethnic groups, comprising Enrekang, Duri, and Maiwa, with different cultures from Bugis and Toraja.
How to Create a National Park in Indonesia
The process of proposing an area as a National Park begins with identifying and inventorying the area by relevant parties, such as local governments, research institutions, or conservation organizations, focusing on areas with high biodiversity and unique ecosystems that meet Nature Conservation Area criteria. Field surveys and scientific research are then conducted to collect comprehensive data on flora, fauna, and ecosystem conditions, which form the basis of the KPA proposal. For Mount Latimojong, the preliminary assessment has been done by the initiatives of the Nature Conservation Agency of South Sulawesi, regency/provincial governments, and conservation NGOs (e.g., FFI).
The final proposal, containing maps, biodiversity data, and explanations of the area's conservation importance, will then be submitted to the Ministry of Forestry (MoF). MoF evaluates the proposal by forming an expert team to assess its ecological function, biodiversity, and potential as a KPA. Public consultations are also conducted to involve local communities and stakeholders, ensuring there are no conflicts and gathering feedback. If approved, the area is officially designated as a KPA through a decision issued by the Minister of Forestry.
The national park will be managed by zonation system where each specific zone serve different functions: 1) core zone (zona inti) is fully protected to preserve the integrity of forest ecosystem and biodiversity, 2) utilization zone (zona pemanfaatan) is managed for ecotourism, education, research, and other purposes, 3) forest zone (zona rimba) is the buffer zone between core and utilization zone that encompass home range of important wildlife. There are other types of zones, such as traditional zone, religious zone, or special zone, depending on the context of the national park establishment and interests of diverse stakeholders. For Mount Latimojong, the management will include conserving its montane forest and endemic species, supporting ecotourism, and fostering sustainable land management at the foothills of the mountain. One of the main purposes to establish Mount Latimojong as National Park is to maintain its key ecosystem services, ensuring water sources for the surrounding regencies and preventing floods and landslides.