World Environment Day: 5 encouraging news about Indonesian forests
5th June is World Environment Day, celebrating the 2021 theme “Ecosystem Restoration''. It will also see the launch of the UN Decade for this particular effort.
At Kaltimber, we are more than aware that forests are endangered all around the world and especially in Indonesia. Thus, we have embraced the FSC certification for our reclaimed ironwood decking and flooring.
Not everything is gloomy for Indonesian forests and particularly our zone of operation, Kalimantan. Indeed, both the government and tenacious individuals are taking responsibility in land regeneration. We wanted to share with you 5 encouraging news that brought us lots of hope.
1) Aisyiyah, women power!
In central Java, Aisyiyah, Indonesia's oldest Islamic women's movement, helps in seedlings planting in many parts of Indonesia. The organization’s core principle is to spread the teachings of the prophet Muhammad in relation to the impact of climate change. Aisyiyah volunteers planted 4,700 seedlings since the end of 2020!
Aisyiyah tree planting in East Kalimantan
2) A professor leading by example
Prof Udiansyah is a professor of the Faculty of Forestry of the Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM), The institution believes that deforestation facilitates the emergence of various diseases that previously did not exist such as Covid-19.
Deeply committed to his teachings, he invites all fellow teachers and staff every year to plant ulin tree seedlings, mostly known in the western world as Ironwood.
3) Rehabilitation of abandoned mining pits
The degradation of the land caused by mine pits has been responsible for major deadly flooring and landslides. To overcome this, the Indonesian government wants to habilitate these large mining concessions with reforestation plants of watershed areas in the Bornean province of South Kalimantan. 20 mining companies have been asked to commit to this plan, which will also involve 30,727 hectares of abandoned illegal mines
4) FSC initiative for forest landscape restoration.
This three-year program will entail tree planting and natural regeneration on 11,000ha of FSC-certified forest management concession.This very ambitious project aims to enhance natural carbon capture and land restoring productive capacity.
5) 100 million trees for Borneo
This massive project involves the recruitment of new farmers each year who will participate in the restoration of degraded forests. They will do so by planting fast-growing tree species and cash crops in agroforestry systems.
The project started in 2014 and as you can see below, the project has achieved a great outcome and it is still ongoing.