barito ulu

We launched our Barito Ulu Programme in 2018 to protect some of the greatest remaining forests in the world, the ‘Heart of Borneo’. Covering mountains, cliffs and valleys, these forests are home to a huge diversity of flora and fauna, including 10 species of primate, more than 350 birds, 150 reptiles and amphibians, and over 10,000 plants.

Barito Ulu, at the geographic centre of Borneo, is the source of the mighty Barito River. Five hundred miles long and three‐miles wide at its mouth, the river is the lifeblood for hundreds of thousands of people. Along its length is found a huge array of cultures, commerce, habitats and wildlife, as it flows through cities and jungles, around mines and fields. Its headwaters are three huge rivers that tumble through myriad rapids and canyons, draining one of the extensive, pristine rainforests found in the very heart of Borneo. This is a land of jungle, of mountains, cliffs and valleys, of old tribes with rich cultures, and every kind of plant and animal that Kalimantan has to offer.

Protecting the pristine and spectacular forests at the
Heart of Borneo

Yet research and conservation activities in the area have stalled in recent years. The once magnificent Rekut Research Station has been neglected and Barito Ulu is coming under increasing threat as coal mining, logging and plantation agriculture are invading this remote region. As Kalimantan’s peatlands and lowland forests are cleared at an ever‐increasing rate, these rugged landscapes in Borneo’s interior may be the last refuge for many threatened species, including its apes.

We are working to reinvigorate research here, rebuild the Rekut Research Station and protect the region’s forests that are critical to ensure water supply, reduce the impact of droughts and fires, and support ecological and economic stability in the lowlands. We are establishing a collaborative conservation network with local community groups, NGOs, government, industry and academic bodies to promote sustainable development, and protect habitat and wildlife across the wider Barito Ulu Landscape.