Consistently on the Path of Conservation

KOMPAS/ZULKARNAINI

Dedy Yansyah

Dedy Yansyah, 39, feels that God has guided his steps on the path of conservation. For his consistent and dedicated action to rescue Sumatran rhinos in Aceh, he was granted a Whitley Fund for Nature award. Dedy’s love for the world of conservation started in childhood when he raised birds, domestic fowl and cats.

In high school, he chose the department of natural science (IPA) and at Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, he studied biology. As an active student, his lecturers and seniors frequently involved Dedy in conservation activities. He began to get used to exploring the Leuser Ecosystem Zone (KEL). He learned about protected animals like elephants, tigers and orangutans.

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When he is in a dense forest, Dedy feels its peaceful ambiance. He wants to linger in the warmth of Leuser.

“After getting more familiar with Leuser, I became much more interested in being engaged in conservation activity,” said Dedy on Sunday (12/6/2022).

For this reason, he chose the topic of elephant feed identification in Leuser for his research to prepare an undergraduate thesis. He received a research scholarship from the Leuser Management Unit (UML).

However, not once did Dedy encounter elephants, the mammal he wanted to find most.

For five months, Dedy stayed at the Sikundur Research Station, Mount Leuser National Park (TNGL), Langkat, North Sumatra, to gather research material. Every day he tracked down the paths where elephants roamed to record the types of vegetation they consumed. However, not once did Dedy encounter elephants, the mammal he wanted to find most.

Totally obsessed, Dedy followed the tracks of the protected animal to such an extent that he lost his way in the wilderness of Leuser. In his desperate search for the way home, he imaged the faces of his parents.

“I began to realize that man is too small [in the face of] nature. I prayed to God so as to be able to return. This might be the sincerest prayer in my whole life,” said Dedy, who was finally able to find his way home.

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Dedy Yansyah

On his last night of research, Dedy slept in a tent near the station. At midnight he awoke and found an elephant staring at him. Dedy was almost unable to believe the wild elephant had just come to see him. But as he was taking out his camera, the elephant disappeared in the dark of the night.

“It was kind of trying to bid me farewell. I think I’ll be back here someday,” added Dedy.

Station manager

In 2004, before his father’s death, Dedy was asked where he would be working after graduation. Without much thought, Dedy replied he would work in Leuser.

It’s true that words can amount to prayers. A year later, he became a staff member at the International Leuser Foundation as its Sikundur Station manager. Dedy felt God had guided him to return to Leuser and be more involved in research on protected wildlife.

In 2008, Dedy joined the Leuser Ecosystem Zone Management Board (BP KEL) as field coordinator. Along with a team of rangers, he is engaged in operations to prevent the hunting of protected animals.

As a tropical rain forest, BP KEL, with an area of 2.6 million hectares, is Indonesia’s biggest habitat of diverse protected animals. Leuser is the only place in the world where Sumatran elephants, Sumatran tigers, Sumatran orangutans and Sumatran rhinos coexist.

The four key mammals are currently threatened with extinction. They are being hunted for trading.

“Unless they are protected, these animals will be extinct,” said Dedy.

Massive hunting of protected wildlife takes place in Aceh. Records made by the Environment Journalist Forum (FJL) of Aceh in 2020-2021 showed that law enforcers handled 18 cases of crime against protected animals.

The presence of protected wildlife indicates that a forest remains healthy, and conversely, a damaged forest threatens animals. Protected wildlife is part of the ecosystem.

Forty-two suspects were identified, but nine of them are still at large. Illegal poaching mostly occurs in the Leuser zone, which poses a major threat to the population of protected animals. Dedy feels sad every time there is a case of animal death. The presence of protected wildlife indicates that a forest remains healthy, and conversely, a damaged forest threatens animals. Protected wildlife is part of the ecosystem.

At the end of 2012, the Aceh governor dissolved BP KEL. The hope to continue Leuser’s preservation almost faded. Dedy and conservation activists formed a nonprofit institute called the Lauser Conservation Forum (FKL). Dedy became the coordinator of rangers.

Dedy was unhappy to see the damage in Leuser. Forest squatting, conversion of functions and hunting emerged as a great threat.

“Access to Leuser gets easier. It makes the challenge of protecting the area even greater,” said Dedy.

Based on data released by the Aceh Natural Forest Foundation, from 2015 to 2019, the KEL’s forest cover decreased by 42,184 ha. The shrinking forest cover amounts to the damage to protected wildlife’s habitat. As an impact, the continued existence of protected animals is even more threatened.

Sumatran rhinos (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) are among the most threatened animals. At present, their estimated population is under 100. Most of them are in the KEL.

The movement to rescue rhinos from extinction already began with the development of the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary (SRS) in Ranto Panjang village, Simpang Jernih district, East Aceh regency. Dedy serves as coordinator of the Consortium of Northern Rhinos. The first stone-laying ceremony was conducted on Thursday (11/11/2021).

The rhino sanctuary’s construction used funds from the state’s debt repayment to the United States through the program for Tropical Forest Conservation Action (TFCA)-Sumatra. The budget for the initial phase was Rp 16 billion (US$1.078 million).

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Dedy Yansyah

Now he has to travel back and forth between Banda Aceh and East Aceh to supervise the development of the SRS. Its location in Leuser is a long way from settlements. In order to get there, he has to travel with a four-wheel-drive.

For his contribution to conservation, especially in efforts to rescue Sumatran rhinos, Dedy was granted the 2022 Whitley Fund for Nature award. The Whitley Fund for Nature is a charitable institution in London.

For Dedy, the award has two meanings: appreciation and demand to remain consistent in carrying out conservation. Nevertheless, Dedy is convinced that his path in conservation had been chosen for him by God.

Dedy Yansyah

Born: 24 January 1983

Domicile: Aceh Besar Regency

Education:Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Syiah Kuala University

Award: Whitley Fund for Nature 2022 award

Wife: Ina Fauziana Syah

Children:

- A Yusuf Maulana

- Rayyan Faturrahman

(This article was translated by Aris Prawira)