Way Kambas Park Designated as ASEAN Heritage Park

E Lampung, Lampung (ANTARA Lampung) - The Way Kambas National Park in Lampung Province, has been designated as the 36th ASEAN  Heritage Park.

The certificate of the Way Kambas National Park as ASEAN Heritage Park was presented by Executive Director of ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity Y Roberto V Oliva to Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation Tachrir Fathoni of the Indonesian environmental affairs and forestry ministry,in the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary, East Lampung District, Wednesday.

Fathoni hoped that the park will be promoted internationally following its new status as ASEAN Heritage Park.

"This reflects that the world has trusted us for being able to preserve the biodiversity in Way Kambas," he said.

Lampung hosted the fifth meeting of the ASEAN Heritage Park Committee from July 25 to 27, 2016, participated in by delegations from the 10 member countries of ASEAN.

The Way Kambas National Park  is a home for endangered wildlife such as Sumatran elephants, Sumatran tigers, and Sumatran rhinos.

The Way Kambas National Park is the fourth ASEAN Heritage Park in Indonesia, after the Mount Leuser National Park, the Kerinci Seblat National Park, and the Lorentz National Park in Papua.

Indonesia has proposed Jakarta's Thousand Islands and Southeast Sulawesi's Wakatobi as this year's nominees for inscription in the ASEAN Heritage Park list.

Launched in 2009, the triennial meeting is organized by the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity to discuss, evaluate and nominate conservation areas in South East Asia.

ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHPs) are selected protected areas in the ASEAN region which are known for their unique biodiversity and ecosystems, wilderness and outstanding values.

AHPs are given the highest recognition because of their importance as conservation areas.

Through the ASEAN Declaration on Heritage Parks and Reserves, the ASEAN Member States agreed to effectively manage these AHPs so as to maintain ecological processes and life support systems; preserve genetic diversity; ensure sustainable utilizationos species and ecosystems; and maintain wilderness that have scenic, cultural, educational, research, recreational and tourism values.

As of 2015, a total of 35 ASEAN Heritage Parks have been inscribed in the AHP List.  

Brunei Darussalam has one, Cambodia (2), Indonesia (4), Laos (1), Malaysia (3), Myanmar (7), The Philippines (8), Singapore (2); Thailand (4), and Vietnam (5).