CAN Indonesia (Conservation Action Network)
Orangutan Outreach is proud to support Conservation Action Network as they focus on forests, people and wildlife in Indonesia. CAN was founded by our long-time colleague Paulinus Kristianto in 2019 and has been working tirelessly ever since. CAN is committed to saving forests and wildlife while supporting environmentally friendly communities. Driven by the mission "Creating a harmonious life between human and wildlife", this grassroots organization is making a positive difference in many areas. Visit the CAN Indonesia website.
Wildlife Rescue
CAN Indonesia’s Wildlife Rescue Center (WRC) was built in 2020 with the aim of helping to care for animals before they are released or sent to other rehabilitation centers. The center is located on the Long Sam River, Merasa Village, Kelay District, Berau Regency, East Kalimantan Province. CAN focuses on saving protected small primates, birds and other mammals. The rescue team and animal care team are tasked with aiding animals that need help. If animals need medical assistance, they are brought to the WRC. If the animals do not require further treatment they are immediately released into the conservation forest. In 2022, Conservation Action Network launched a Borneo Wildlife Rescue Expedition. This journey across Borneo from East to West intended to save wildlife and campaign for the protection of their habitat. CAN is committed to giving a second chance for wildlife to return to their habitat. In May 2023, Orangutan Outreach financially supported the rescue of a young male orangutan. Read the story and see a video here.
Forest Protection and Reforestation
CAN supports the local community in protecting the forest with the concept of community patrol. This is done by establishing a Community Forest Rangers (CFR) program, which is formed in collaboration with local villagers. Each member of the CFR is trained to maintain, monitor and cooperate with law enforcement authorities to ensure that there are no threats that can damage protected forests or other high conservation value areas.
Additionally, CAN began forest restoration activities in Kalimantan in 2019 with the belief that restoration within the concept of agroforestry is a solution to food insecurity and wildlife conflicts. CAN's short-term goal is to encourage and build sustainable agricultural activities that can support community food sources, such as rebuilding rice field irrigation and improving soil nutrients. The long term goal is to create a forest area that can repair the ecosystem and maintain economic value. CAN, together with the community, restores forests with fruit plant species that have high carbon uptake and can rebuild forest cover in the future.
To date, CAN Indonesia has planted 10,000 trees. In addition to increasing the number of trees, this reforestation project aims to build an orangutan corridor across the Kelay River, a large river in the province of East Kalimantan, Indonesia. The Kelay River is located 100 km from Berau Regency and one of the tributaries of the Berau River is an area called Long Deq. In 2019, CAN Indonesia restored five hectares of forest and land in the Long Deq area. CAN Indonesia's team of just three people managed to plant 5000 tree seedlings in Long Deq. The resulting petai and durian trees will benefit people and wildlife.
Empowering Communities
With support from local government programs, Conservation Action Network assists to develop the economy of rural communities. Currently, CAN has supported the tourism program in the Merasa Village to build and develop cultural and natural tourism. In addition, CAN runs tourism programs in the Lesan River Protection Forest and Wehea Protection Forest. CAN believes that forest and wildlife conservation activity must have economic value to the surrounding community, therefore it is important for CAN to support communities in tourism and also create environmental products to create sustainable economic activities without destroying forests.
Conservation Action Network also assists when they see a community in need. In January 2021, CAN Indonesia dispatched disaster relief teams of volunteers and staff to support the joint effort to assist communities devastated by flooding in South Kalimantan. Armed with basic equipment and disaster relief skills (gained from experiences handling flood and forest fires), the teams set out. The aim was to lend as much support as possible for the people, wildlife and other animals affected by the flood. CAN Indonesia may be small, but they are mighty!
Words of hope from CAN Indonesia
“We believe optimism is a form of courage. We believe that a billion acts of courage can spark a brighter tomorrow. To that end we model courage, we champion courage, we share stories of courageous acts by our supporters and allies, we invite people out of their comfort zones to take courageous action with us, individually in their daily lives, and in community with others who share our commitment to a better world.”
"A green and peaceful future is our quest. The heroes of our story are all of us who believe that a better world is not only within reach, but being built today"
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