Aca's jungle calling

When I meet Aca for the first time he welcomes me with a generous smile and shining black eyes.  He wears a sari wrapped around his hips and sandals. His skin is dark and healthy, his body and movements are like living cells of this forest. As we sit one of the evenings at a table with a burning candle drinking a lemongrass tea Aca speaks about his story, about his love for this jungle, his eco-lodge “Back to Nature” and about his large visions, goals and dreams.

You act as really connected to this place, you were born here, near this forest?

No, I was actually born in Medan, the capital of Sumatra, in 1966. So I come from a big and frantic city. My parents were very active, my father was highly ranked in the army he taught me the discipline, I guess I am a natural born activist. Since I was young I was very interested in politics, the system, I was active in different organizations, took part and lead demonstrations, and voiced my rights as a citizen.

What was your encounter with the jungle?

I came here a few times when I was in high school. Then I took a job in the orangutans rehabilitation center in Bukit Lawang. I worked there for three years. It was a turning point in my life. I learned so much about these beautiful animals and about their habitat. I learned how the jungle is simply essential and vital in our lives. I decided to stay. In 1990 I build my own guesthouse. In 1993 I moved to Holland with a project in my head, to return here and buy the jungle.

Why buying a jungle?

I felt I must do something. Last 30 years Sumatra has lost more than 50% of the tropical rainforest caused by rapidly spreading palm oil plantations. Palm oil companies cut down rainforests and sell the timber, the deforestation continues. Moreover the NGOs who are active in this region to protect the jungle are receiving a huge amount of money but none of this is invested into local communities, into local sustainable programs and education so that the people who are from here can have a revenue. The jungle can be protected and people can have revenues because of the jungle, if they know how to use it right.

Did your plan worked?

I had a successful restaurant in Holland, but it was an extremely busy, stressful, fast and draining lifestyle. But I was saving money and little by little started to buy the public jungle here that normally would be sold to oil palm business people and cut down. There is 300,000 ha of the public jungle that is in danger …Today I own more than 100 hectares. I have been buying jungle for 15 years now. It is my land that none of the oil industry can touch and cut down.

What is your next plan, your vision?

I want to show an example. Instead of cutting the jungle you can you can create an eco-tourism.

Eco tourism created by local people will grow a local economy. Today eco tourism is perceived as expensive, but it is not. It is for everybody. There are so many more solutions for local activities. Research shows there are 400 species of medical plants in this forest; the local people can sell it. You can grow here rattan palms to make furniture. You can grow sustainable coffee. You can create educational programmes for tourists of how the locals use the soil and the resources of the jungle. My plan is to open an exhibition centre in Bukit Lawang that explains this to visitors, this will drive tourists' interest in local activities.

We are sitting here tonight at your eco-lodge in the middle of the jungle; a truly magical and inspiring place. What was the process of creating this lodge?

When I decided to build this lodge in the jungle nobody believed in this project. People thought I was crazy because the challenge was huge. It took me 2,5 years to cut the trek along the river, to remove the stones so that people can pass. Every stone I hit and removed it was for one tree to be saved…I thought if tourists will get here, deeper into the jungle to experience it, I will save this forest.

Your dream came true?

It is becoming true. I opened the lodge five years ago. People who stay here fall in love with this nature; they also understand it more. We have more and more visitors; we also run educational programmes for students who come here for a weekend or few days. I grow medical plants and cure people. I want to open a natural healing centre for locals and foreigners, educate them. I want to set an example to a local community. Things start happening. Local community trusts me, so we can work together; so much to do. The jungle is always calling.