Aceh's history virtually strides out of the forest. "Upriver" culture in Aceh and indeed in most of the Malay world is essentially forest culture and lore. On the coasts these essentially forest people encountered seafaring peoples of the Indian ocean. These early coastal communities gradually worked their way upriver to merge with those from the forest. "Downriver" tends to signify a more cosmopolitan aspect of life as the towns developed in the estuaries of rivers depending on fishing and trade with neighbouring countries and eventually far and wide in the world.

Aceh is endowed with many rivers which can be navigated far upriver into the interior and deeply forested areas.  When invaders came, the Achinese always had this vast forested hinterland into which defenders could retreat and regroup to defend themselves, which they did successfully for many centuries.  In fact Achenese were never quite overcome by successive attempts by various European colonialists to subdue them and take their land.

In 2005, subsequent to the world’s longest war of the 20th century and the Indian Ocean tsunami, both of which Aceh was the principle victim, the Indonesian government and the Achenese separatist movement (GAM) signed a Peace Agreement in Helsinki. By the agreement or MOU, as it is popularly termed, Aceh would enjoy “special autonomy” with its own elected government.  Elections were held in 2007 and a new autonomous government was installed with Irwandy Yusuf as Governor.  Irwandy, himself imprisoned as a separatist at the time of the tsunami, escaped from his cell as the waves engulfed his prison. At last after so many long years of strife, war and disaster, the time had come again when the Achenese can tell the world who they are and what they can do to make their own contribution to the world.

Policies implemented by Irwandy Yusuf since attaining office have given priority to environmental issues.  One of the first things he did was to declare a total moratorium on logging in Aceh’s forests. In November 2008 Irwandy announced his Aceh Green policy, whereby Aceh would become an environmentally prioritized country, perhaps the world’s first.  Some of the early tasks to undertake are to repair Aceh’s environment, damaged and pillaged by the war and to conserve what is left of Aceh’s forest heritage.  It is in this context that Initiatives are being taken at grass roots level by the network of traditional schools (pesantren) spearheaded by the Gunung Mas eco-village/pesantren. The word has gone around to replant, replant and replant.  Tree nurseries are being established in schools and back gardens.

It takes a long time to replant and regenerate tropical forests. Most forest trees do not commence their lives in open sun but in the shade of the canopy of tall trees.  It is these tall trees which create that special forest ecosystem in which thrive so many other layers of trees, shrubs, flora, fauna and phenomena.  It is also these canopy trees that are particulary sought by loggers, depriving tropical rainforests’ of essential components to their unique ecosystems.