The Indigenous People of Subulussalam, Aceh, Who Didn’t Wait for the Law to Protect the Forest

Together with twelve other women, Sabariah took part in the technical verification of the proposed 645-hectare customary forest in Singgersing Village in September 2026. This process is a critical step toward securing formal recognition of customary forests in landscapes where community rights and boundaries are not formally recognised. Amid competing land claims and pressure from plantation expansion, it will allow indigenous communities like hers to hold the legal right to govern and protect their ancestral forest using local customs and rules, as opposed to the government holding ultimate control.

Though the exercise focused on legal recognition, it was built upon generations of knowledge held by the community itself. Under the Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP) framework supported by Swisscontact Indonesia's Leuser Alas-Singkil River-basin (LASR) project, residents mapped the forest. They documented its value as a source of water, livelihoods, biodiversity, and cultural identity, and converted inherited knowledge into evidence that the government could formally recognise.

The verification was extensive due to Indonesia’s national target of recognising 1.4 million hectares of customary forest between 2025 and 2029. A multi-disciplinary team involving academics from the IPB University, Syiah Kuala University, and the University of North Sumatra worked alongside conservation partners, WRI Indonesia, government officials, and community representatives. Supported by Swisscontact Indonesia and Earthworm Foundation, the team validated administrative data, traced the history of customary land occupation, mapped forest boundaries, and documented traditional ecological knowledge that has helped sustain the forest for generations.

While pursuing formal recognition, the community has continued protecting the area through local monitoring and enrichment planting. Legal recognition would therefore not create community stewardship from scratch. It would strengthen and secure practices already maintained on the ground. The effort showed how the people of Singgersing Village are striving to protect everything the forest quietly provides. Not a green patch on a map, nor a land waiting for development, but for water, medicine, food, protection, and livelihood.

Their home.

Who has protected this forest all along?

Inside a traditional raised wooden house, seated on woven mats, indigenous men and women from Singgersing Village shared stories about their relationship with the forest. To them, the forest has never been an empty space. It is a living landscape filled with history and knowledge inherited from previous generations. Despite living in different villages, they are united as a family connected by shared customs and a collective commitment to safeguarding the forest. This sense of stewardship is embedded in community life, with customary leaders, village authorities, the village consultative body (BPK), and the village forest management unit (LPHD) working together to resolve disputes and monitor the area.

Having completed conflict-awareness training in September 2025 and subsequently becoming a certified local conflict mediator, Saidiman Sambo, Mukim Head or leader of the Batu-Batu indigenous community, emphasized the importance of protecting the forest.

According to the customary governance structure, men traditionally lead the village and serve as cultural leaders. Women, on the other hand, are the practical custodians of the forest. Sadariah, another indigenous woman, described how the forest contributes to household livelihoods and traditions. As primary collectors of non-timber forest products, women maintain a close relationship with the forest and its resources. For instance, screw pine leaves gathered from the forest are used to produce Tonu, ceremonial coverings that play an important role in weddings and religious festivities. The intricate production process, from harvesting and drying raw materials to colouring and stitching them into shape, reflects generations of indigenous knowledge. The finished piece sells for up to USD 10 and symbolises cultural continuity rooted in the forest.

Suleha, an elder of the group, elaborated that families with limited financial resources turn to the forest for building materials. “Not everyone can afford cement when constructing a home.” Timber from the forest can make the difference between having shelter and going without. In her words, if the forest disappears, so too does an important source of support for indigenous communities. Their close relationship with the forest also gives them a deep understanding of the wider ecosystem and the forest’s role as a vital water source. As Subulussalam City Secretary, Asrul Assani noted during the verification process, “The proposed customary forest area plays an important role as a water source and in maintaining environmental sustainability. Protecting the forest means protecting one of the foundations upon which local communities depend.”

As the conversation unfolded, the women carried something even more valuable, their knowledge. They pass down stories from their ancestors about ways of preserving the forest for future generations. "Our ancestors handed down the duty of protecting the forest," Suleha explained, "and we pass this message on to our children and grandchildren." This intergenerational transfer of knowledge may prove just as important as any legal decree. It survives because people care enough to uphold it. Community leader and the Chair of the Village Consultative Body (BPK) of Singgersing Village, Jarkasi Pinem, emphasised their aspiration, “Residents have safeguarded the forest through local wisdom for generations. A formal recognition will help ensure the area remains sustainable and can be inherited by their descendants.”

With their understanding of the forest's rich biodiversity, they recognise the importance of protecting wildlife habitats and maintaining the delicate ecological balance that sustains the landscape. This same knowledge enables them to identify plants used as natural remedies for fevers, headaches, stomach ailments, and other illnesses. During difficult periods, particularly the pandemic, these herbal resources continued to support family health and recovery.

The role of landscape approaches in development programmes

A landscape approach stems from the understanding that environmental, social, and economic systems are deeply interconnected. The stories from the men and women of Singgersing illustrate how a forest is far more than a physical space. It protects against floods, sustains livelihoods, preserves cultural traditions, supports biodiversity, and provides a vital source of water for surrounding communities. Recognising and managing these multiple functions drives the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration on the ground.

Singgersing further demonstrates how customary governance and formal recognition can work together to create opportunities for locally led conservation. Guided by a landscape approach, Swisscontact Indonesia supports solutions that balance conservation objectives with community aspirations. Beyond protecting one forest, it offers a practical pathway for other communities seeking to strengthen livelihoods and reduce land-use conflict. In doing so, it leaves lasting fingerprints in the form of stronger local leadership that will continue safeguarding the forest for generations to come.