Final Evaluation of Landscape Connectivity and Habitat Restoration for Sumatran Tigers in Indonesia.

What We Did: Contracted as Team Leader to assess the end-of-project results of a program in Indonesia to improve connectivity of landscapes on the island of Sumatra and the extent to which donor funding is contributing to the conservation status of threatened populations of Sumatran tiger.

‍Objective: The US$ 62M UNDP-supported, GEF-financed “Transforming Effectiveness of Biodiversity Conservation in Priority Sumatran Landscapes” project aims to protect and conserve the Sumatran tiger, which is critically endangered due to habitat loss, poaching, and human-tiger conflicts. The objectives of the project include conducting scientific research to improve understanding of Sumatran tiger behavior and ecology, reducing human-tiger conflicts through education and community engagement, strengthening law enforcement to combat poaching and illegal wildlife trade, and protecting and restoring tiger habitat through sustainable land-use practices and conservation programs.

This will be accomplished through supporting implementation of the National Tiger Recovery Plan, which sets out the key elements to protect forests and wildlife in Sumatra. The project aims to address a range of institutional, governance and financial issues that prevent the project objective from being achieved. In doing so, it will create a model biodiversity management system that is operational across the target landscapes, can be scaled-up across Sumatra, and strengthen the national PA system. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry will lead project implementation in partnership with UNDP and NGOs.