Reforestation: Sebangau
Reforesting burned and logged areas of the Sebangau National Park is essential to protect the home of the Bornean orangutan. When forest is lost, orangutans are forced to move to poorer quality habitat resulting in overcrowding and eventual starvation. Inevitably, there is a decrease in the orangutan population. Planting trees expands orangutan habitat, prevents soil erosion, and reduces the risk of fire. This work also engages local communities in conservation, and it contributes to the global fight to stop climate change.
The Borneo Nature Foundation (BNF) Rungan Landscape program aims to protect up to 100,000 hectares of forest. The area is threatened with development, specifically to conversion to oil palm, pulp and acacia plantations. This is a critical region of Sebangau National Park that is home to the world’s largest protected orangutan population.
Gracia, an adult female orangutan matriarch, has had three youngsters. Her home range is next to the river and was partly burnt in forest fires in 2015. It will be difficult for her younger offspring to set up their own home ranges as the habitat is shrinking and the family members are forced to live closer together. This leads to increased competition for resources as the remaining habitat becomes overcrowded. However, BNF’s long-term research has shown that the orangutan population can stabilize again and recover if habitat protection, anti-logging and hunting patrols, restoration and reforestation projects are implemented. By adopting Gracia & her Kids, you can directly support BNF's reforestation work.
#1MillionTrees
BNF has the ambitious goal to plant #1MillionTrees in fire-damaged rainforest by 2025! Orangutan Outreach is proud to support this goal. This exciting project will not only help the orangutans and forest biodiversity, but will also benefit the local villages. Seeds collected from the forest are nurtured in community nurseries. As of May 2023, there are 10 community nurseries, each managed by local families who receive supplemental income. Once the seedlings in the nurseries have matured, BNF works with local stakeholders to replant priority areas of the rainforest, focusing on critical orangutan habitat. Program success is strengthened as BNF monitors every tree planted and records survival rates between species and location. Finally, the BNF team completes activities to mitigate and fight forest fires, to protect as much forest as possible.
Learn more about our reforestation work.
Learn more about our partners: Borneo Nature Foundation
YOU can support this vital reforestation work!
Here is how your donation will help the BNF team:
$10 provides a daily wage for a volunteer fire-fighter
$25 funds a team to patrol for one day in order to prevent illegal logging
$50 pays for seed collection, germination, and planting of 10 tropical hardwood saplings
$100 will build a dam to block the ex-logging canals
$150 funds BNF's monthly monitoring surveys of the orangutan population
$500 equips an entire fire-fighting team with hoses, nozzles and safety equipment
$1000 will buy a new boat for the patrol team (or buy a computer and furniture for the patrol team headquarters).
$2500 will fund the full seven-member community patrol team for one month, including supplies and fuel.