From left to right: Head of UN Resident Coordinator Office in Indonesia Afke Bootsman, British Ambassador for Indonesia and Timor Leste Dominic Jermey, Australian Ambassador for Indonesia Penny Williams, Nusantara Capital Authority (NCA) Chairman Bambang Susantono (former), NCA Deputy for Environment and Natural Resources Myrna Safitri, ADB Deputy Country Director for Indonesia Renadi Budiman, Japanese Ambassador for Indonesia Masaki Yasushi, and Finnish Ambassador for Indonesia Pekka Kaihilahti. Photo credit: ADB.
Nusantara is one of Indonesia’s biodiversity hotspots with at least 3,800 species of flora and fauna found within a 50-kilometer radius of the new capital.
The rising city is part of Kalimantan in Borneo, home to rainforests that serve as the “lungs of the earth.
Envisioned as a forest city, Nusantara now has a master plan designed to maintain and increase biodiversity in ecosystems.
Indonesia, with the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), introduced the Nusantara Biodiversity Management Master Plan in March last year. The plan aims to keep 65% of the 256,142.72 hectares total land area designated for the capital as a protected area.
The master plan guides the Nusantara Capital Authority in setting out the policy direction, programs, and targets for protecting biodiversity through 2029. It outlines measures such as habitat preservation, species protection, restoration efforts, and community engagement to promote sustainable management practices.
Biodiversity hotspot
Kalimantan is one of the world's richest biodiversity hotspots with high levels of diversity and endemicity. It is home to 10,000-15,000 species of flowering plants, 3,000 species of trees, 2,000 species of orchids, and 1,000 species of ferns. Many of these species are endemic plants and some can still be found in Nusantara.
According to the master plan, 440 species of flora and fauna found in Nusantara and its surroundings are on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The red list, a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity, shows that 34 species are considered critically endangered, 105 endangered, and 301 vulnerable. The species under the watch list consist of mammals, birds, crocodiles, fish, plants, insects, frogs and amphibians, and fungi.
Before Indonesia decided to move the capital to Nusantara, biodiversity in the area was under threat from illegal logging and mining, forest fires, smallholder farming, and encroachment of monoculture plantations into forest lands. Deforestation rate was estimated at 4,000 hectares annually. As a result, Nusantara is left with just 16% tropical rainforest cover.
With the master plan, the government aims to reforest at least 120,000 hectares and address threats to biodiversity, mitigate impacts, and strengthen resilience in ecosystems. The goal is to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of the environment.
There are seven areas considered to have high biodiversity value in Nusantara and surrounding areas. These are the Sungai Wain Protected Forest, Balikpapan Bay, Mount Parung, Bukit Soeharto Forest Park, Muara Jawa, Mount Beratus Landscape, and Samboja Lestari.
The Sungai Wain Protected Forest comprises about 10,000 hectares of lowland forest within the administrative area of Balikpapan City and Nusantara. It consists of old-growth or primary forest and is surrounded by forests that have been slightly degraded due to fires. It is home to 53 species of flora, 42 species of mammals, 21 species of birds, and four species of reptiles.
Balikpapan Bay stretches across 120 square kilometers with a coastline mostly covered with mangroves. It is home to different species of fauna, including the Irrawaddy dolphin, dugong, saltwater crocodile, smooth-coated otter, and the proboscis monkey, among others.
Located in the western part of Nusantara, Mount Parung stretches from a production forest concession area to the Meratus Mountains. About 259 species of flora are found in the area as well as 28 species of mammals, 108 species of birds, and 29 species of frogs and amphibians.
Straddling more than 64,000 hectares, the Bukit Soeharto Forest Park is a conservation area in Nusantara. The land cover consists of 57% forested area, with the rest used for illegal plantations, mining, buildings, and rice fields, among others. It is home to 48 species of endemic trees and one protected species of flora, as well as 33 species of mammals, 92 species of birds, and 28 species of frogs and amphibians.
Muara Jawa used to have a lot of mangrove ecosystems. It supports 14 species of flora and various fauna, including four species of mammals, 47 species of birds, four species of amphibians, and three species of reptiles.
Classified as a protected forest, Mount Beratus covers 28,261 hectares. It is home to 65 species of flora, 23 species of mammals, five species of birds, six species of reptiles, and 12 species of amphibians.
Samboja Lestari covers more than 1,800 hectares and serves as a rehabilitation center for several species, such as orangutans, sun bears, and birds, among others. It supports 63 species of flora and 39 species of fauna that include mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.
Reviving damaged ecosystems and biodiversity
The biodiversity master plan laid out seven goals.
- Develop science, technology, biodiversity databases, and information systems.
- Improve biodiversity conservation by managing the ecosystem of flora and fauna.
- Slow, reduce, and/or control biodiversity loss, degradation, or species extinction.
- Rehabilitate and restore moderately and severely damaged ecosystems.
- Increase sustainable use of biodiversity.
- Increase institutional capacity, policy institutions, and law enforcement for biodiversity.
- Resolve biodiversity conflicts.
Nusantara plans to engage experts, map out critical ecosystems and species, adopt mitigation strategies for critical ecosystems and species, identify sensitive habitats prior to land clearance for development, organize trainings and capacity building, adopt wildlife-friendly development practices, prevent land clearing and logging during critical fauna breeding season, analyze habitat suitability of flora and fauna to be translocated, conserve trees, mark the location of wildlife trails, provide ecosystems for birds and wildlife, reforest and restore ecosystems, use low-emission vehicles, prevent the spread of invasive species, prevent erosion, and map aquatic ecosystems before construction.
To ensure success, the master plan also called for regular monitoring and evaluation, including from independent parties like the academe, nongovernment organizations, businesses, and others.