The Ulu Masen Ecosystem spans 9,500 km² of tropical rainforest in Aceh province. Located about 4 degrees north of the equator, the region is connected to the Leuser Ecosystem and forms part of the immense Sundaland Biodiversity Hotspot. Ulu Masen’s diverse assortment of habitats – montane forest, lowland rainforest, and tropical pine forest – still provide refuge for several dozen tigers.
In the Ulu Masen Ecosystem of Aceh, Hutan Harimau will focus its conservation efforts in Mane Subdistrict, an important forest landscape for Sumatran tigers and other wildlife. At the heart of this initiative will be the development of a Tiger and Community Learning Center—a hub for conservation education, research, community engagement, knowledge exchange, and responsible ecotourism.
The center will provide a space where local communities, Indonesian students, international students, researchers, conservation practitioners, and visitors can learn together about Sumatran tigers, tropical rainforest ecosystems, and the communities living alongside them. The program will connect scientific approaches with local and traditional ecological knowledge, creating opportunities for different generations and cultures to exchange perspectives and learn from one another.
An integrated internship and field-learning program will be a key component of the center. Students and young professionals from Indonesia and around the world will have the opportunity to spend time in the landscape, gaining practical experience in tiger monitoring, biodiversity research, human–wildlife coexistence, community-based conservation, environmental education, and sustainable livelihoods. Rather than being a one-way learning experience, the program will encourage mutual learning between international participants, Indonesian students, conservation practitioners, and local communities, recognizing communities as knowledge holders and active partners in conservation.
Ecotourism will complement these learning activities by creating responsible, nature-based experiences that generate benefits for local communities. Visitors can experience the rainforest, learn about tiger conservation, stay with local families, discover local food and culture, and participate in educational activities. Where appropriate, a portion of ecotourism revenue can support community conservation initiatives and local livelihoods.
Together, the Learning Center, internship program, community conservation, and ecotourism will create a living classroom in the Ulu Masen landscape. Mane will become a place where people do not simply learn about tigers and forests, but learn with the communities who protect them and within the landscape itself.
Through this integrated approach, Hutan Harimau aims to build a model of community-led tiger conservation, experiential learning, and responsible ecotourism, demonstrating that protecting tigers and forests can create meaningful opportunities for education, cultural exchange, and sustainable local development.