Commercial-scale logging is rapidly destroying the ancient rainforests of Borneo
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Species at Risk
Helmeted Hornbill (CR), Straw-headed Bulbul (CR), White-crowned Hornbill (EN), Bornean Gibbon (EN), Greater Green Leafbird (EN), Great Argus (VU)
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Carbon stored
125,575,128 mT *
*(metric tons of CO2 equivalents) -
Partner
Komunitas Konservasi Indonesia Warsi (KKI Warsi)
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500,000 Proposed Acres Conserved by
Land Tenure
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Project Cost: $1,962,000
500,000
Commercial-scale logging is rapidly destroying the ancient rainforests of Borneo
-
Species at Risk
Helmeted Hornbill (CR), Straw-headed Bulbul (CR), White-crowned Hornbill (EN), Bornean Gibbon (EN), Greater Green Leafbird (EN), Great Argus (VU)
-
Carbon stored
125,575,128 mT *
*(metric tons of CO2 equivalents) -
Partner
Komunitas Konservasi Indonesia Warsi (KKI Warsi)
-
500,000 Proposed Acres Conserved by
Land Tenure
-
Project Cost: £1,569,600
500,000
The carbon stored in the project area is equivalent to what would be emitted by burning
gallons of diesel fuel.
Borneo holds some of Earth’s oldest rainforests, but over half of the island’s forests have been lost to industrial-scale exploitation. These forests are incredibly important to global conservation and climate, as they safeguard thousands of species and store huge amounts of carbon. Since 2008, Rainforest Trust has been working to save Borneo’s remaining intact forest from logging for industrial-scale agricultural plantations and mining, with almost 1 million acres currently protected and 1.5 million in process of protection.
At least 500 species have been documented here, including the Critically Endangered Straw-headed Bulbul and Helmeted Hornbill, Endangered Greater Green Leafbird and Bornean Gibbon, Vulnerable Great Argus, and numerous other threatened hornbill species.
The record for the world’s tallest tropical tree has been achieved here numerous times by trees measuring over 300 feet tall.
With our partner, Komunitas Konservasi Indonesia Warsi (KKI Warsi), we have the extraordinary opportunity to support the protection of 500,000 acres in the buffer zone of the 3.36-million-acre Kayan Mentarang National Park. This project will support Indigenous Dayak Peoples in 56 villages to secure their land tenure and customary use rights through government designation as customary and/or village forests that prohibit industrial-scale exploitation of any kind.
Header photo: Straw-headed Bulbul, by Finch Focus
Explore the Ancient Rainforests of Borneo
A flock of Greater Green Leafbirds, courtesy of Wirestock Creators
Helmeted Hornbills, courtesy of Red Ivory
Bornean Gibbon, courtesy of Bildagentur Zoonar GMbH
Great Argus, courtesy of Alen Thien
White-crowned Hornbill, courtesy of Ondrej Prosicky
Stop the Spread of industrial-scale Logging and Oil Palm Plantations in Borneo
Logging operators who are actively clear-cutting near the proposed project area pose the most imminent and dangerous threat to these vital, ancient rainforests. Establishing the 500,000 acres of customary/village forests will ensure sustainable management of the forests while prohibiting commercial oil palm plantations.
Engage Remote Communities in Conservation
One million Indigenous Peoples rely on the rainforests of Borneo for their lives and livelihoods. Most Indigenous communities in remote forest areas are only accessible by boat, and each village will be consulted throughout the project. Support will be provided to communities for species monitoring and capacity-building on sustainable forest management.
Safeguard Vast Carbon Stores in Borneo
The 500,000 acres to be protected store an amount of carbon equivalent to the emissions from burning 12 billion gallons of diesel fuel. Stopping industrial-scale logging will keep this carbon safely locked up in the forest.
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Conservation work is critical, challenging, and can be costly. We work hard to ensure we raise only the funds needed for each project. In the rare case we raise more money than needed or a project comes in under budget, excess monies will be transferred to the Conservation Action Fund. This fund supports our important conservation work throughout the tropics.
Project Modifications
Rainforest Trust conducts extensive research and due diligence on each of the projects that we support, so that once a project is offered for public support we believe it will succeed. We work closely with our project implementers, offer support, and regularly monitor their progress. Given the nature of the work, projects may not progress exactly as intended and may be unable to meet all objectives. To respond dynamically to the needs of our project implementers and the realities of the landscapes in which they operate, Rainforest Trust expressly reserves the right to modify a project as it deems necessary, provided that donor intent is honored by ensuring that that the original project objectives are diligently pursued and that project funds continue to benefit the landscape and species identified in the project overview. Project modifications that we may need to make in certain circumstances include the specific project implementer, the size of the landscape to be protected, the type of protection to be afforded to the landscape, and the development of sustainability mechanisms.
Partnering to Save Rainforest
Our partners’ ability to work with their governments and build strong connections with local communities ensures the successful implementation of our projects.
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