Prihandini outlined the Forum’s deeper goals. “This patrol is part of a long-term vision,” she explained. “We’re not only preventing illegal activities — we’re building trust, establishing co-existence, and creating space for dialogue between stakeholders, including Orang Rimba and Talang Mamak communities.”

She continued, “The patrols are also conducted with coordination from the local forest management unit and supported by regional conservation authorities, ensuring alignment with national conservation goals.”

Syamsuardi, a seasoned elephant conflict mitigation expert from the Indonesian Elephant Conservation Forum, echoed the urgency. “Nearly 70% of elephant habitats are outside conservation zones,” he warned. “Planting crops like bananas, rubber or plants that elephants like along their traditional paths is certainly very risky and will cause conflict to continue. We must change our approach.”

Taufik Qurochman of WKS agreed. “We need long-term, low-maintenance crops that don’t attract elephants but still provide income. That’s the role PKBT plays — linking conservation to sustainable business.” Taufik added that elephants may not be mystical, but their deep emotions and generational memory guide them toward ecotone areas, where ecological transitions mirror their behavioral patterns, making them seem distant yet inherently connected to human landscapes.

Jasmine Natalia Prihartini Doloksaribu of APP Group reflected on the broader vision: “Conservation must work with business, not against it. That’s how we protect multi-species habitats — by aligning sustainability with value creation. The PKBT forum is a bridge, connecting local wisdom, legal frameworks, and corporate responsibility.”