The Leuser Alas-Singkil River Basin Project (LASR) is located within the wider Leuser Ecosystem. It encompasses the longest river in Aceh, the Alas, as well as the biodiversity-rich Rawa Singkil Wildlife Reserve and deep, carbon-dense peat domes that store an estimated 541 megatonnes of CO₂ – equivalent to the annual CO₂ emissions from around 118 million passenger cars.
Diagnostic analysis shows that the Leuser Ecosystem is at high risk of deforestation and land degradation due to accelerating agricultural expansion. The three districts of the LASR Project present challenges that require management. This area contains extensive, highly biodiverse primary forests. However, the districts are also on the central government’s priority list for oil palm plantations, which increases pressure on the remaining natural ecosystems.
The Leuser Alas-Singkil River Basin Project (part of SECO’s Sustainable Landscape Programme Indonesia) supports multi-stakeholder platforms in three districts surrounding the Leuser Ecosystem Area. These platforms enhance coordination between government and private sector actors to promote sustainable land use practices and non-extractive income opportunities for forest-dependent communities. The project's expected outcomes are reduced deforestation, improved biodiversity and increased economic resilience.
In the face of climate change, the loss of tropical forests is no longer just a local issue. Remote sensing is raising awareness at a global level, resulting in calls for accountability from activist groups and consumers. LASR's private sector partners map the origins of their sustainable palm oil and cocoa supply chains. Using satellite imaging technology, the LASR Project monitors deforestation risks in real time and helps district governments respond to these threats by strengthening land-use policies and their enforcement.
The underlying problems of deforestation, land-use enforcement and indigenous peoples’ rights stem from a lack of clarity in land tenure. Land speculators exploit loopholes in land tenure to drive deforestation and encroachment on customary lands, often resulting in conflict and bloodshed.
The project addresses persistent land tenure conflicts in high-risk villages using the Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP) methodology. The LASR Project collaborates with policymakers to incorporate PLUP data into district government spatial planning exercises that consider indigenous peoples' priorities. As a pilot scheme, 300 independent palm oil smallholders will be mapped onto a traceable supply chain and will receive an Authorisation to Cultivate Land, which is the equivalent of land tenure.