Twenty-two senior local government officials from North Sumatra were shown first-hand the fine balance between conservation of a world heritage landscape and sustainable tourism and agricultural production in the region.
The group attended a series of field trips and presentations around the Wet Tropics including a trip on Skyrail rainforest cableway and a visit to Mission Beach to learn more about establishing conservation corridors.
Wet Tropics Management Authority executive director, Andrew Maclean, said conservation and rehabilitation of areas in and around the World Heritage Area was of particular interest to the group.
“The Wet Tropics landscape offers a valuable insight for our Indonesian counterparts on the impacts of historical, extensive clearing. After meeting with staff from the Authority, the delegates appreciated the importance of collaborations between regional authorities and community groups, and the governance required, to rehabilitate and maintain the values of the remaining forests that form part of the overall world heritage area,” Mr Maclean said.
The Indonesian visit was part of the Sustainable Landscapes Partnership, a public-private partnership in Indonesia that develops and tests new approaches to land use, planning and management to achieve sustainable agricultural economic opportunities. The Sustainable Landscapes Partnership is implemented by Conservation International and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Walton Family Foundation.
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