The Bukit Sanggul Protection Forest, spanning 74,152 hectares in Seluma Regency, Bengkulu Province, plays a crucial ecological role. As part of an ecological corridor directly connected to Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, this forest safeguards biodiversity continuity and vital ecosystem services. It protects watershed systems, prevents floods and landslides, serves as the headwaters for seven river basins in Seluma, and irrigates nearly 9,739 hectares of rice fields.

Bukit Sanggul also provides critical habitat for endangered wildlife, including the Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae; Critically Endangered), sun bear (Helarctos malayanus; Vulnerable), rhinoceros hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros; Threatened), Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica; Critically Endangered), and gibbons (Hylobates spp.; highly sensitive to habitat disturbance). The presence of these species underscores the forest’s irreplaceable conservation value.

Economically, Seluma relies on three leading commodities: oil palm, rubber, and coffee. Oil palm plantations cover 14,542 hectares of corporate estates (operated by seven companies with five CPO mills and one cooperative) and 60,092 hectares managed by independent smallholders. Meanwhile, robusta coffee plantations span 16,760 hectares, making Seluma one of Bengkulu’s largest coffee producers, with a yield of 3,777.6 tons in 2017.

Yet, the sustainability of Bukit Sanggul is under serious threat from mining activities and land-use conversion, particularly for coffee and oil palm plantations. Coffee expansion on steep slopes, often without soil conservation measures such as terracing, has led to erosion, reduced water infiltration, and recurring hydrological disasters (floods and droughts)—causing long-term land degradation. The expansion of oil palm plantations into forest areas further amplifies ecological pressure.

Since 2023, Nature50 has been supporting communities in five villages in North Seluma and Ulu Talo Subdistricts. Assistance has focused on social forestry groups, with permits already secured for four groups and three additional groups approved by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry by the end of 2024, covering a total of 5,665 hectares. EQ has also facilitated collaborative forest management between social forestry groups and Anglo Eastern Plantation (AEP) across seven groups, guided by four pillars: institutional strengthening, forest protection, forest management, and enterprise development. Initiatives include specialty robusta coffee and ground coffee production, positioning social forestry areas as a buffer zone for Bukit Sanggul Protection Forest.

To broaden conservation impact, Nature50 collaborates with the Bengkulu Provincial Forestry Agency through the Seluma Protection Forest Management Unit (KPHL), and mobilizes support from AEP in joint forest protection. Current efforts focus on safeguarding the Core Zone of 8,000 hectares, outside of social forestry areas, to prevent irresponsible land conversion. This core zone has been identified as a critical habitat for protected flora and fauna, reinforcing its strategic importance for conservation.