In this 3-part series Alice Moffett shares her experiences visiting Rainforest Rescue’s Plant a Rainforest Project in Indonesia, including each location on the Orangutan Adventure Trek’s itinerary. In part 1 she had just viewed the Orangutans at the Bukit Lawang Orangutan Viewing Centre and in part 2 she is stepping into the Gunung Leuser National Park for a refreshing and memorable rainforest trek.
Bukit Lawang, North Sumatra is a beautiful place to start the rainforest Trek. A gateway to the Gunung Leuser National Park; it is a vibrant river community township, with many shanty style restaurants and guDarmaGuidesmallest houses built on the edge of the Bohorok River. Naked children bathe and swim in the river or tube down small rapids with squeals of glee. This vibrancy has regrown from not-too-distant devastation when in November 2003 a flash flood hit the town killing 280 people and destroying much of the riverfront development. The severity of the flood was increased by vast amounts of illegally harvested timber being picked up and raced down river with the fast flowing water. Much of the town’s infrastructure has now been rebuilt, however debris and memories remain. Our local guide and rainforest ranger, Darma, tells us of how the Rehabilitation Centre resident Orangutans survived the flood by climbing to higher ground and those still in cages breathed through pursed lips at the top of floating cages until help arrived.
At 8am, we cross the river in a traditional dug-out canoe. Reaching the stony bank, I step off the canoe and away from the warm and musical village and into the closed, green surrounds of the rainforest. My spirit is instantly calmed and my senses livened. The oxygen rich air fills my lungs and I look around the forest with wide eyed delight – what will we see next? After viewing Orangutans my ‘must-see-Orangutans-before-I-die’ desires have been quenched – but what else is out there – in here?
The rainforest is wet, mesophyll vine forest, dominated by large Dipterocarpaceae trees. Darma explains that there are over 130 species of medicinal plants in the Gunung Leuser National Park as he stops to show us a fern that is effective for insect bites and stings. Many of the species within the forest are yet to be researched for their benefits for human society and some species are yet to be discovered; however accurate mapping, conservation and use of these natural resources is at risk by clearing and encroachment for illegal plantations, illegal logging. Indonesia’s forests are being destroyed at a rate of 1.6 million hectares per year, which equates to 3 hectares per minute (Arifin, 2005). The National Park covers 7,927 km2 and straddles the border of North Sumatra and Aceh provinces. The Park is named after the 3,381 m high Mount Leuser and protects a wide range of ecosystems. It is listed as a World Heritage Site and is part of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.
During our walk we come across the home of some native bees that Darma refers to as ‘sweaty bees’. The home’s entrance is tunnel shaped and made of tree-resin collected from the tree it is adhered to. The tunnel shaping of the entrance and a secret ‘back door’ protects the bees from predators and provides an emergency escape door in times of need.
I am delighted to see examples of symbiotic relationships everywhere. There are many species of fungi , some that are commonly sold at local markets for consumption and other black clumped toxic varieties. We have reached a high ridge, the trees are thinner and the rainforest is hanging with mist. We stop for a rest and hear a crashing in the trees…what is it? We quietly make our way over and find a Thomas Leaf Monkey. No Orangutan, but these punk-haired monkeys are just as Nasi-goreng-in-the-rainforestdelightful. Soon afterwards, we stop again, this time for Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice) wrapped in banana leaf. Careful not to leave any waste, we make our way down the forest covered mountain toward the Bohorok River. Light rain barely penetrates the canopy and the haunting honking of Hornbills echoes through the valley below.
As we head down, a bright red Orangutan ambushes us along the trail. It is Darma’s favourite Orangutan, Jaki. When Darma was working at the now closed Rehabilitation Centre, he helped Jaki to give birth to her first baby. She immediately approaches Darma and wraps her long arms around his waist, giving him a hug while simultaneously slipping long fingers into his backpack. She demands to know if there is a tasty morsel in the bag and will not give up until Darma provides her with a reward for her troubles. I clutch my backpack (with camera and passport inside) and think of how lucky I am to have an expert with us. Jaki the Orangutan wants to stay and insists on holding Darma’s hand. The view as I look over my shoulder and see the two hand in hand will be with me forever.
Rainforest Rescue’s Indonesian Plant A Rainforest Project assists communities in North Sumatra to manage rainforest rehabilitation projects in key Orangutan habitat zones. These projects provide sustainable income and livelihood alternatives to destructive forest activities such as palm oil farming. If you cannot join the Orangutan Adventure Trek and would like to support this project, you can make a donation by clicking here and helping to Plant A Rainforest in Indonesia. Thank you.