Rethinking the 'back to wilderness' concept for Sundaland's forests

► Some scientists advocate re-focusing conservation efforts on pristine primary forests. ► We argue that the “back to wilderness” paradigm has limited relevance in the Sundaland region. ► Primary forests only make up a small minority of remaining forests and most of it is already protected. ► Vast areas of selectively logged forest support endangered species yet they are susceptible to plantation conversion. ► We suggest methods to identify and conserve ecologically valuable logged forests, in addition to pristine forests.