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entral Sulawesi Administration is to allocate Rp 1 billion (US$76,152) to safeguard the Lore Lindu National Park in Dongi-Dongi, North Lore district, Poso, from environmental damage caused by illegal miners.

“I’ve prepared Rp 1 billion until December 2016 to maintain security at the site,” Central Sulawesi Governor Longki Djanggola said on Thursday.

Over 1,000 illegal gold miners have descended on Dongi-Dongi in the past month. The illegal miners reportedly come from areas in Gorontalo, Central, North and West Sulawesi, Kalimantan and Java.

The local administration has banned illegal mining around the national park since Jan. 29. The government has also deployed security personnel to prevent the illegal miners from entering the protected national park.

“Now, we are running out of funds and so the security personnel are being withdrawn from the field,” said Sudayatna, head of the Lore Lindu National Park Conservation Agency.

According to Governor Longki, conservation of the Lore Lindu National Park is the responsibility of the Forestry and Environment Ministry through the Lore Lindu National Park Conservation Agency.

He added that the Central Sulawesi administration only had a role in preventing the illegal miners from returning to the protected areas. “We contribute the financing for the security measures. But, to say that it is our responsibility would be misleading,” he added.