Palm Deforestation still Rampant in Leuser

A new study finds that despite national-level conservation laws, lowland forests and peatlands in the Leuser ecosystem, a 2.6 million hectare block of pristine rainforest straddling the Sumatran provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra, continue to be cleared by industrial palm companies.

The study, carried out by the Rainforest Action Network (RAN), follows a sister report released in November 2014 that exposed links between deforestation and suppliers of oil palm giants Wilmar, Musim Mas and Golden Agri Resourcesthree firms who account for over 50 percent of the US$30 billion a year global palm industry.