In Indonesia, women ranger teams go on patrol to slow deforestation
By VICTORIA MILKO and DITA ALANGKARA
Associated Press
DAMARAN BARU, Indonesia (AP) — A female-led group of forest rangers in Indonesia are defying social norms to lead patrols in the jungle to combat deforestation. The patrol group was started by a woman who witnessed the devastating effects of deforestation on her local village in the province of Aceh. The members spend days at a time in the jungle monitoring wildlife, keeping a lookout for deforestation and engaging with farmers and poachers they meet in the jungle. The group said it’s seen a rapid decrease in deforestation in its area. Now they’re sharing their tactics with other women-led groups hoping to protect their own forests across Indonesia.