HUMAS FAHUTA – The Faculty of Forestry at Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), together with the North Sumatra Provincial Environmental and Forestry Agency (DLHK) and the Directorate of Academic Infrastructure Management (DPIA) of USU, held a follow-up meeting to discuss plans for the development of the North Sumatra Biodiversity Park (Taman Kehati). The meeting was held on Monday, August 3, 2026, in the Meeting Room of the Faculty of Forestry at USU as a follow-up to previous coordination efforts concerning the designation of a location for the planned conservation area.

The meeting was attended by the Vice Dean for Research, Partnerships, Community Service, and Internationalization of the Faculty of Forestry at USU, Dr. Anita Zaitunah; Head of the Undergraduate Program in Forestry, Dr. Achmad Siddik Thoha; Dr. Ridahati Rambey; Adilla Fatimah Azzahra; representative of the Directorate of Academic Infrastructure Management at USU, Abdul Hakim Lubis; as well as representatives from the North Sumatra Provincial DLHK.

During the meeting, participants discussed alternative locations to be developed as the Biodiversity Park. Overall, the development of the Biodiversity Park is projected to require approximately 10 hectares of land to optimally support conservation, education, research, and biodiversity preservation functions.

As part of the planning process, Dr. Achmad Siddik Thoha presented aerial photographs and mapping data of the USU Arboretum area. The spatial data served as an important reference for identifying land characteristics and developing more targeted, data-driven scenarios for the Biodiversity Park.

However, based on applicable regulations, the USU Arboretum area cannot be converted into a Biodiversity Park. Therefore, the meeting agreed to relocate the proposed site to an area surrounding the reservoir. To determine the boundaries of the area to be used, a field survey was scheduled for August 4, 2026.

Once the location has been determined, the next stage will involve a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with relevant stakeholders to determine the management concept for the area and select plant species that will serve as the main collections of the North Sumatra Biodiversity Park.

The development of the Biodiversity Park is expected to serve as a strategic step in strengthening biodiversity conservation efforts in North Sumatra while also becoming a center for learning, research, and environmental education involving various stakeholders. The collaboration among the Faculty of Forestry at USU, the North Sumatra Provincial DLHK, and the Directorate of Academic Infrastructure Management at USU also reflects a shared commitment to supporting sustainable development through conservation-oriented natural resource management.

The activity aligns with the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 15: Life on Land through efforts to conserve terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals through strengthened collaboration among higher education institutions, government, and various stakeholders in advancing sustainable development.
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