Hundreds of trees planted in burnt areas to celebrate the National Tree Planting Day

Yesterday [28/11/2018] Borneo Nature Foundation (BNF) planted hundreds of trees in the burnt forest area of Sebangau peat-swamp forest to celebrate the National Tree Planting Day. BNF brought together CIMTROP University of Palangka Raya (UPR), the students from the Faculty of Agriculture UPR, and local fire-fighting communities (MPA) in the villages of Sabaru and Kereng Bangkirai to participate in the activity. The teams walked into the floppy peatland carrying the seedlings to be planted in several burnt areas of the forest that are located nearby the canals.

“The 2015 forest fires was the major cause to the lost of the trees making a huge open land in several forest areas. As for that reason, we’ve been investing our best efforts to bring back the green forest by replanting the trees, it’s one of the essential part of our conservation work at BNF” said Yunsiska Ermiasi (Conservation Manager).

Based on the decree of the President of Indonesia Number 24 year of 2008, 28 November has been determined as the National Tree Planting Day (HMPI). This is a response towards a massive and continuing forests lost across many provinces in Indonesia rooted in illegal logging, forest and land fires, deforestation and other related issues that haunt the nation’s treasure, a precious natural treasure from the mother earth.The lost of the forests have threatened the presence of the unique wildlife and costed the harms to human. Thousands of the native tree and plant species were gone along with the wildlife whose lives depend on the healthy forest habitat including the critically-endangered Borenan orangutans. As for human, the deforestations have led to the thick smog during dry season and the lost of the livelihoods.

Considering devastating impacts of the forest lost, the National Tree Planting Day is as an attempt to create a moment for raising the awareness for public on the importance of the forest. A moment that brings together communities, organizations, stakeholders, to restore the forest through various activities such as planting the trees, awareness campaign, and the rehabilitation of the damaged forests.

BNF has been working endlessly for restoring the forest habitat through reforestation activities in the Sebangau peat-swamp forest, home to a large population of the flagship Bornean orangutans.

In 2017, BNF has planted over 1,700 seedlings of four key species of trees native to peat-swamp forest namely Prupuk, Balangeran, Tampohot, and Patanak Galeget being planted considering the endurance of these species to survive in the extreme floods in wet season and a very hot weather in dry season due to the minimal canopy on the burnt area. This reforestation is regularly monitored under watchful eyes to ensure high survival rate. With this end, we are happy to report the 90% success of reforestation works.

On this National Tree Planting Day, we would like to remind people that any form of habitat disturbance has disadvantaged many lives. Therefore, let’s work together with us to restore and rebuild the habitats for wildlife and for mankind. Healthy forest for us all!