This initiative works to restore and protect the Sebangau National Park, an area of huge global importance. Sebangau’s vast peat-swamp forests cover 570,000 ha, the largest unbroken area of tropical rainforest on Borneo and is one of the Earth’s largest terrestrial carbon stores, with over 3Gt of carbon stored in its peat soils which have been accumulating for 20,000 years and reach depths of 15m.
Sebangau National Park is also a hotspot for biodiversity, home to 65 mammal, 172 bird, 11 amphibian, 46 reptile, 55 fish, 41 dragonfly/damselfly, 297 spider and 215 tree species. This includes the world’s largest protected population of Critically Endangered Bornean orangutans, the region’s flagship species and the discovery of which led to the creation of the National Park in 2004. Our on-ground partner have been studying the behaviour and ecology of orangutans here since 2001, making important discoveries about their social organization, reproductive behaviour and responses to logging disturbance, and these remain the only wild orangutans to have been observed using self-medication – chewing Dracaena leaves into a pulp and applying them to sore joints.
The forest is important for other primates including the white-bearded gibbon, red leaf monkey, slow loris and pig-tailed macaque. Other threatened species which are abundant in Sebangau include the rhinoceros hornbill, sun-bear, ramin tree and Sunda clouded leopard. Restoring riverine locations is particularly important for species like the proboscis monkey, Storm’s stork and false gharial. The peat-swamp habitat is particularly important for freshwater fish, many of which spawn in small pools inside the seasonally-flooded forest.
Our restoration project will therefore protect an array of irreplaceable species and safeguard some of Indonesia's globally important carbon stores in the fight for climate.
The local communities will benefit in a number of ways. Most important is the reduction of negative impacts from fires and smoke, which damage human health, reduce crop yields and impact fish populations, the major source of protein for rural communities. People here are highly motivated to prevent fires, and our on-ground partner is empowering them to form community fire-fighting patrols and contribute to habitat restoration.
Our on-ground partner uses a grassroots approach which benefits and empowers local communities. Activities associated with reforestation, peatland restoration and forest protection will create 500 green jobs for local people. The project will establish 25 community nurseries by 2025; our on-ground partner has already established 10 nurseries across 3 villages, supporting 86 local people with income and skill-development. The project also supports 5 community-led firefighting teams comprising 65 local people gaining financial benefit. Local women produce organic, plastic-free polybags from sustainably sourced rattan, which our on-ground partner purchases and uses to transport and plant the seedlings; these bags increase planting success and provide women with an independent income. In addition, it has supported 1,773 local people from 415 households so far with sustainable livelihood development including permaculture, aquaculture and honey production practices.
The local people are at the centre of the project, ensuring they benefit from and take ownership of the conservation and sustainable management of their forests.
