Dr Nancy Priston

Research permit – check, police permit – check, dept social affairs permit – check, forestry permit – check, visa – check…. Redtape in Jakarta complete! Now it’s time to start the journey to Buton. So it’s two flights tomorrow to get to Kendari, the regional capital of Southeast Sulawesi where I get to go through all the redtape again! So bye bye Jakarta – See you in 3 months!

So it seems the government have, as governments tend to, gone back on their word and reduced the area of forest that was to be protected in Indonesia. Buy apparently it’s ok because they will monitor it every 6 months and act if protected areas have been deforested…. Erm, it’s a bit late once he forests have gone….when are we going to learn?!

Government reduces area of forests protected under moratorium

Well, I’ve just arrived back in Indonesia for my 12th year of fieldwork in Sulawesi. This year will be a challenge – only a few months ago over half of one of the study troops of monkeys were killed by local farmers after stealing their banana crops. So it seems conflict may be increasing in the area. I’m looking forward to getting to the island to see the situation for myself – to see how the remaining monkeys are faring and to talk to the farmers to understand what prompted this sudden change of approach to managing the situation. Before I can do that though I need to get all my research permits and visa’s sorted, stamped, and signed off, so it’s a fun-redtape-filled few days in Jakarta and Kendari (mainland Sulawesi) first!