Satellite images revealed the devastating impact of oil palm plantations on a national park in Indonesia, with an article in Mongabay shedding light on the increase in deforestation at Tesso Nilo National Park.
What's happening?
Twenty years ago, the Indonesian government officially established Tesso Nilo to protect one of the largest remaining tracts of lowland forest on the island of Sumatra and the threatened wildlife that called the forest home. However, despite the area's protection, the national park continues to face severe deforestation.
Recent satellite images collected by the monitoring platform Global Forest Watch reveal Tesso Nilo lost 78% of its main forest coverage between 2009 and 2023.
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Deforestation, driven by the expansion of oil palm plantations and illegal logging, is one of the main factors behind the park's lost forest, per Mongabay. In 2018, the World Wildlife Fund investigated Tesso Nilo and found that nearly 75% of the park had been converted into palm oil plantations. With plantations come roads, and with roads, the forests are more vulnerable to poachers pursuing wildlife.
Why is deforestation in Tesso Nilo important?
Tesso Nilo National Park is a biodiversity hotspot, home to more than 4,000 plant species. That's one of the highest levels of lowland plant diversity in the world, according to Mongabay.
On top of its incredible plant diversity, the park is also home to nearly 3% of the world's mammals. Many threatened and critically endangered species roam Tesso Nilo National Park, including the Sumatran tiger and the Sumatran elephant.
Deforestation in the Tesso Nilo poses a direct threat to both the plant and animal species inside the park. The expansion of oil palm plantations results in habitat loss and severe disruptions within the ecosystem. Deforestation also releases stored carbon, which in turn contributes to rising global temperatures.
What's being done about deforestation?
Government agencies and conservation organizations are spreading awareness about the threat of deforestation in Tesso Nilo National Park. As more people understand the consequences of illegal logging, policymakers hope to ignite change.
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