The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) is supporting our conservation work to protect Sebangau National Park; the largest lowland forest remaining in Borneo and home to the largest protected orangutan population (more than 6,000 individuals) in the world.
Despite this peat-swamp forest being legally protected, it remains threatened by the long-term consequences of illegal and legal logging that occurred prior to Sebangau forest achieving protected status. Namely, the construction of canals that have drained the peat swamp, causing the peat to dry, degrade and become highly flammable.
A LDF grant was awarded to BNF to restore Sebangau National Park’s natural hydrological conditions to prevent forest fires in this critical orangutan habitat. We also aim to safeguard the area’s unique biodiversity (including clouded leopards, sun bears and hornbills), reforest burnt areas and implement sustainable development programmes for the local communities.
Established by Leonardo DiCaprio in 1998, the LDF supports ‘projects around the world that build climate resiliency, protect vulnerable wildlife, and restore balance to threatened ecosystems and communities’.
BNF is excited to see LDF evolve into Earth Alliance and we hope to enhance this partnership further in the future.
A special thank you to The Orangutan Project for helping to facilitate the support from LDF.
You can find out more about this project and our work with the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation here.
