Daily Life Picture Story

Mpu Uteun, which means "the one who owns the forest" in the Gayo language, is the name given to a group of female-led rangers commanded by Sumini. Despite the ranger role being typically thought of as a man’s job, the majority of Mpu Uteun members are women, made up mainly of married couples who work as Gayo coffee farmers. Every month, they conduct patrols in Damaran Baru, a protected 251-hectare forest that serves as a buffer zone within the Leuser Ecosystem Area (KEL), in Aceh, Indonesia. Their primary objective is to protect the forest by planting tree seedlings and collecting data on biodiversity while putting an end to illicit activities, including illegal logging and wild animal hunting. They also engage in efforts to maintain their land that reduce the risk of fires, landslides, and flash floods. “As women, we have a gentle approach when dealing with illegal loggers and negotiate well,” Sumini said. “Men are likely to fight with one another if they come across illegal loggers. Nevertheless, when it comes to route guiding in rugged forest terrain, men play a crucial role. After all, we wives carry on our husbands’ pioneering work in conservation.” It is always challenging for Sumini and other rangers to perform a gender-equitable conservation mission in Aceh, a region that practices Sharia law. Social issues frequently arise since the community considers forest conservation to be a male-dominated field and women should not be involved in it. But despite these challenges, Mpu Uteun have proven that their ecofeminism movement shown that women are capable to performed greatly in conservation efforts and use their agency and political influence for the benefits of the village and surroundings.