Planting trees for wildlife corridors

In the Gunung Naning Protected Forest and Gunung Nyiut Nature Reserve on Borneo, fragmented areas of rainforests are being reconnected by planting trees. This creates wildlife corridors that allow endangered animals to move freely between larger areas of rainforest.

These tree plantations are carried out exclusively by indigenous Dayak people. They have set up their own small tree nurseries and plant the trees around their villages.

Rainforest on Borneo under pressure

The rainforest on Borneo is extraordinarily rich in species with many endemic animals and plants. However, Borneo's rainforests are under severe threat. Since the middle of the 19th century, Borneo has lost around half of its forest. Indonesia therefore has the highest rate of tropical rainforest loss. As a result, species are going extinct and the climate is being further exacerbated.

Tree plantations connect once contiguous rainforest areas

Conserving existing rainforests is not enough to protect endangered species. In the Gunung Naning Protected Forest and Gunung Nyiut Nature Reserve, remaining rainforest areas are therefore being reconnected by planting trees. The trees are planted exclusively by the indigenous Dayak people. It is therefore not a centralized reforestation project, but hundreds of Dayak people are taking part in the project. Each person has their own tree nursery. The Dayak receive an incentive for each seedling planted and a further incentive if it is still alive after one year. In this way, the local population benefits from alternative sources of income.

In so-called agroforestry systems, local fruit species with economic benefits and to improve food security as well as tree species with benefits for biodiversity (e.g. slow-growing hardwoods or figs) are planted by means of agreements with the local population. Over time, the agroforestry systems can act as wildlife corridors connecting fragmented rainforest areas.

Community-led structures for the conservation of biodiversity

Each agricultural cooperative of the indigenous Dayak has appointed local project managers who organize and monitor the tree plantings. Employees of our local partner organization also carry out independent inspections. 3,200 households and 15,000 residents have already joined the cooperative and are participating in the tree planting in the project area.

By establishing community-led structures and providing various tools, services and technical support, our partner organization is empowering the local population to manage natural resources themselves. This is done through an integrative mechanism for problem-solving and decision-making on economic, social and environmental issues. This holistic approach effectively addresses the root causes of deforestation.