Two of Indonesia’s national parks, Kepulauan Seribu National Park (KSNP) and Wakatobi National Park (WNP), are set to be recognized as highly protected areas of conservation after they have been given ASEAN Heritage Parks status.
“I would like to congratulate Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry, for the two newly approved Asean Heritage Parks, Wakatobi National Park and Kepulauan Seribu National Park. We are elated to have new marine-protected areas as most of the AHPs are terrestrial,” said Roberto Oliva, executive director of the Asean Centre for Biodiversity, as quoted by Business Mirror.
According to the centre, the two parks were officially nominated during the 14th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment in Brunei in September.
KNSP, which is located in Jakarta, is composed of 78 islands with unique vegetation and is home to several endangered animals like the hawksbill sea turtle and green sea turtle. The islands also run a rehabilitation program that aims to reverse the decline of the three species of eagles found on the islands.
WNP is located in southeast Sulawesi and is known for having the highest diversity of corals and marine resources in the world. Like KSNP, Wakatobi’s site is also a habitat for sea turtles. In 2012, WNP was recognized by UNESCO as part of the “World Network of Biosphere Reserves.”
As ASEAN Heritage Parks, the two parks will benefit through capacity-building activities for park managers and stakeholders in the form of various learning events such as trainings and workshops. Furthermore, the parks will also receive technical assistance from the secretariat, through in-house experts and a network of partners.
See Thriving Coral Reef, Thriving Community: Wakatobi Resort Conservation