Bukit Soeharto

Bukit Soeharto Grand Forest Park (Taman Hutan Raya Bukit Soeharto) is a large protected forest area of roughly 618 square kilometers (61,850 hectares) in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, straddling the corridor between Samarinda and Balikpapan in the districts of Kutai Kartanegara and Penajam Paser Utara. ^[1] Originally designated a conservation forest in 1982 and expanded to a 61,850-hectare Nature Tourism Area in 1991, it was reclassified as a grand forest park (tahura) in 2004 through Ministry of Forestry Decree No. SK.419/Menhut-II/2004. Managed by the East Kalimantan provincial government in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the park protects lowland tropical forest including dipterocarp stands and areas of secondary regrowth. The park has gained heightened attention for its location near Nusantara (IKN), Indonesia's new national capital, placing it at the intersection of conservation and major regional development.

The park supports a range of Bornean lowland wildlife including sun bears (Helarctos malayanus), clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa), wild pigs, deer, porcupines, and primates such as macaques and langurs, alongside numerous bird, reptile, and amphibian species. ^[1] Orangutans were historically associated with the park through the Wanariset Samboja rehabilitation center, which operated within the Bukit Soeharto area before relocating; the program was founded by the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation in 1991. Decades of logging and recurrent fires have degraded portions of the habitat, but recovering forest within the park continues to provide refuge for native species in a rapidly developing landscape.

Vegetation ranges from remnant lowland dipterocarp forest, dominated by tall hardwoods of the Dipterocarpaceae family, to extensive areas of secondary forest and regrowth on previously logged or burned ground. Pioneer trees, shrubs, ferns, and grasses colonize disturbed zones, while better-preserved stands retain elements of mature Bornean rainforest including meranti and keruing species. A 2018 assessment found that 71 percent of the 61,850-hectare park was in critical condition and required rehabilitation, underscoring the scale of past degradation. ^[1]

The park occupies the low hills and undulating terrain of the East Kalimantan coastal hinterland, underlain by Tertiary sedimentary rocks including sandstones, mudstones, and coal-bearing strata common to the region. ^[1] Weathered tropical soils mantle the gentle slopes, which are drained by numerous small streams. The area's geology, including its coal deposits, has historically attracted extractive interest and illegal mining activity, adding pressure to a landscape already shaped by logging and the broader development of the Samarinda-Balikpapan corridor.

Bukit Soeharto has a hot, humid equatorial climate with high rainfall and little seasonal temperature variation. Rain falls throughout the year, with wetter conditions typically from around October to May and a relatively drier spell mid-year. Temperatures generally remain in the high 20s to low 30s degrees Celsius. The drier periods can heighten fire risk, a recurring concern in this degraded forest, while the wet season sustains the lush growth of the recovering vegetation.

The forests between Samarinda and Balikpapan have long been used by local Dayak and coastal communities and were heavily exploited during East Kalimantan's timber boom of the late twentieth century. The area later became known for forest research and rehabilitation programs, including an orangutan rehabilitation program at Wanariset Samboja (later relocated to become the Samboja Lestari center operated by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation). ^[1] The profile of the park has risen dramatically with the development of Nusantara (IKN), the new Indonesian capital being built in the surrounding region, bringing infrastructure, population growth, and intensified attention to land use and conservation across the corridor.

Bukit Soeharto's protection history began with an Agriculture Ministry Decree in 1982 designating 27,000 hectares as conservation forest, named after President Soeharto who reportedly traversed the area en route between Balikpapan and Samarinda during the New Order era. ^[1] The area was expanded to 61,850 hectares and reclassified as a Nature Tourism Area in 1991, then elevated to a grand forest park (taman hutan raya, or tahura) by Ministry of Forestry Decree No. SK.419/Menhut-II/2004 on October 19, 2004. As a tahura, it is managed for conservation, education, research, and limited recreation under East Kalimantan provincial authority in cooperation with KLHK.

The park offers opportunities for nature education, forest research, and recreation, with areas used for environmental study, tree planting, and observation of recovering Bornean forest. Mulawarman University maintains an educational forest within the park. Its accessibility along the Samarinda-Balikpapan route makes it a convenient destination for educational visits and nature appreciation. Attractions center on the forest environment itself, wildlife observation, and the park's prominent role in regional conservation discussions linked to the new capital.

The park is readily accessible from the main road corridor connecting Samarinda and Balikpapan, lying roughly 40 kilometers from Samarinda (approximately 90 minutes by road) and 45 minutes from Balikpapan, making it one of the more reachable protected areas in East Kalimantan. ^[1] Facilities support education, research, and limited recreation, though conditions vary across the large area. Visitors should coordinate with the managing tahura authorities for current access, and travel is easiest during drier periods when roads and trails are more passable.

Conservation efforts face acute challenges: a 2018 Kompas investigation found 71 percent of the park in critical condition, and by 2025 more than 13,000 hectares had been illegally cleared for coal mining and oil palm plantations. ^[1] Its position beside the new capital, Nusantara, presents both opportunities — increased attention and investment in reforestation — and risks through development pressure and habitat fragmentation. Managers and partners pursue rehabilitation, research, and education to restore ecological function, with the park's future closely tied to how conservation is balanced against the rapid growth of the surrounding region.