Yayasan Borneo Nature Indonesia (BNF)

Throughout our programmes, we support and empower community-led initiatives to protect forest and biodiversity, including anti-logging patrols, fire-fighting teams, environmental education and the replanting and restoration of damaged forests. All our field programmes include high-quality scientific research as a basis for protecting and managing forests, and we have particular expertise in monitoring the distribution, population status, behaviour and ecology of Borneo’s flagship ape species; the endangered orangutan and southern Bornean gibbon. We provide training and capacity building for local students, researchers and conservation-area managers, and work with a number of local partners to implement successful conservation projects. Our longest running programme in Sebangau was founded in 1999. We identified the Sabangau Forest as home to the largest orangutan population in lowland Borneo, bringing the region to the forefront of orangutan conservation efforts and resulting in the award of National Park status in 2004. Here we carry out long-term ecological research; contribute to peatland restoration efforts and support local initiatives to manage and protect peat-swamp forest habitat. The Rungan River Orangutan Conservation Programme is our newest programme, where we are working with local stakeholders with the aim to protect 156,000 hectares of forest within a multi-use landscape. This is a critical region that contains one of the largest populations of orangutans outside of protected areas on Borneo. Alongside these programmes we work with a wide range of partners throughout Kalimantan to survey biodiversity, make recommendations on forest management, support conservation efforts and advise on national and international strategies to protect the natural habitats and wildlife of the island of Borneo.