From Dr. Hotlin Ompugusunggu’s U.S. tour to getting down in the dirt with seedlings, the past two months have been chock full!
Besides being involved in the regular conservation activities, the last forest guardian meeting for the period of 2011-2012 was held.
Based on the core values and philosophy of HIH and ASRI – that community be at the center, involved in and own the solutions of change – our Forest Guardians have inspired a 45% increase in villages that have totally stopped logging.In June, a wonderful new program called ASRI Kids began. This program aims to connect local children with the environment and with the many plants and animals in Gunung Palung National Park, to instill care for the environment. The children have been learning about what they can do to take care of our planet – and doing fun activities like making recycled paper, picking up litter, and making recycled notebooks. Like us on Facebook to see the adorable photographs of their activities!
Programs like the Forest Guardians and ASRI Kids, as well as organic farm training, reforestation, and the clinic itself, are all deeply interconnected, working in tandem to change the face of global health – from the roots up. We could not do it without you - Thank you for all that you do.
On that note, will you celebrate with us? We are excited that our partner ASRI’s 5thbirthday is so soon, on July 15th! Will you give ASRI a birthday gift, here on GlobalGiving?
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Each year, we make headway on regrowing a portion of key orangutan habitat adjoining Gunung Palung National Park. This past year was no different. Over the course of 2011, 17 acres were carefully replanted with 21,800 seedlings, in an effort that employed many local people.
Since the beginning of our work, our partner, ASRI, has reforested 42 acres of rainforest, with an extremely high seedling survival rate of 85%! Our Reforestation Program works to return the vastly-reduced orangutan habitat to a larger area, giving these magnificent forest-dwellers room to reproduce and roam; while also decreasing erosion, a major issue in a land where rainfall is plentiful.
Last month, the villages surrounding Gunung Palung National Park celebrated Green Day. The annual event was a resounding success, with over 400 people gathering from all walks of life – schoolchildren side-by-side with local government officials. Each planted a seedling, a tangible, growing symbol of the community commitment to stewarding the regrowth of this amazing forest.
It's events like this, that include young and old, that truly demonstrate the power of community to make a difference in integrating human and environmental health. It's thanks to your support that these trees can be planted, these new livelihoods forged. We couldn't do it without you! We extend our heartfelt gratitude, and invite you to stay involved in Saving the Rainforest with a Stethoscope.
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In West Kalimantan, Borneo Organic Farming Methods are Reaping Increased Yields, Reforestation is Underway
Health In Harmony's program ASRI has successfully provided 12 organic farm trainings to communities scattered around the perimeter of Gunung Palung National Park in West Kalimantan. One of our early trainees, Pak Maknur, was originally skeptical so he tried organic methods in a rice padi adjacent to a padi using chemical methods. Two of our staff members made a visit to Pak Maknur's rice fields to see first hand. He proudly told of his success: not only were the organic techniques less expensive to implement but the yield doubled!
Last week our conservation team did organic farm and agoforestry training in Pangkalang Jihing -- a 6 hour drive via horrible dirt roads. The 40 attendees were excited, asked numerous questions and took copious notes. The community is eager to eliminate logging and improve their livelihoods. There is also an immediate market since, remarkably, there were no vegetables available to purchase in this or nearby villages. Using locally available ingredients to make compost, insecticides, and fertilizers thrilled the attendees, as traveling to 'town' to purchase chemicals can take at least 5 hours each way. Now they can use materials such as rotten banana stalks, yeast, spices and manure to enrich the same soil rather than using inorganic chemicals or slash and burn methods that destroy rain forest.
The enthusiasm of the group was exemplified by two illegal loggers, Mr. Wilham and Mr. Syaifuddin, who were not initially signed up, but after watching the first workshop from the sidelines, joined the second training event. Our efforts are helping loggers see the possibility of alternative income from organic farming. Four more training events are scheduled before the end of December!
And thanks goes to you! Thanks to all of you who have given to the cause. Donations to help bring health care to those in need and to work together with communities to find solutions to save orangutan habitat are greatly appreciated.
P.S. - We have also begun this year's land treatments at the reforestation site where we will put over 20,000 seedlings into the ground. Stay tuned for our next update where we will report on the progress of regrowing a rainforest!
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