Plant 1.000.000 Trees in Indonesia Damaged Forest

Dear Donors and Supporters,

We hope this update finds you well.

On behalf of everyone at Yayasan INFEST and the forest communities we work alongside, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your continued generosity and trust. Your support through GlobalGiving is making a meaningful difference in our efforts to restore Indonesia's forests while creating sustainable livelihoods for the people who depend on them.

To date, we have successfully raised USD 3,883 through this project. For a grassroots conservation initiative, this represents an incredible milestone. Every contribution, regardless of its size, has helped us move one step closer to restoring degraded forest landscapes across Java.

Although still in its early stages, the project has already begun creating meaningful impacts in Blora Regency, Central Java. We have organized and engaged 120 forest farmers who are now actively participating in community-based conservation initiatives. Together, we are transforming degraded former forest areas into productive and environmentally sustainable landscapes.

Our conservation strategy is centered on agroforestry—an approach that integrates forest restoration with sustainable agricultural production. Rather than planting trees alone, we develop diversified landscapes that combine native timber species, coffee, fruit trees, and other conservation plants. This model enables communities to improve their livelihoods while restoring ecological functions, protecting soil and water resources, and increasing biodiversity.

Alongside agroforestry development, we continue to strengthen community organizations through technical training, participatory planning, and sustainable land management practices. We believe that successful conservation depends on empowered local communities who have both the knowledge and the economic opportunities to protect their forests over the long term.

Based on the current financial capacity of the project, our realistic target for this year is to establish 50 hectares of community-based agroforestry and conservation areas. The funds raised so far are being invested in activities that create lasting impact, including community capacity building, nursery development, seedling production, procurement of conservation tree species, and field implementation support.

While we are proud of the progress achieved so far, we know that this is only the beginning. The need for forest restoration across Java remains enormous, and many communities are eager to adopt sustainable land management practices if adequate support is available.

Your continued partnership will allow us to expand these efforts, reach more forest communities, establish additional agroforestry landscapes, and restore larger areas of degraded forests. Every donation helps plant more trees, strengthen more livelihoods, and build more resilient ecosystems for future generations.

Together, we are proving that forest conservation is not only about protecting nature—it is about empowering people to become long-term guardians of their landscapes.

Thank you for believing in our vision and for walking this journey with us.

With sincere appreciation,

Yayasan INFEST

Indonesia is home to one of the world's largest tropical forest ecosystems and is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot. These forests play a critical role in regulating climate, protecting water resources, conserving wildlife, and supporting the livelihoods of millions of people.

Despite their importance, Indonesia's forests continue to face significant pressure. According to Global Forest Watch, Indonesia lost approximately more than 10 million hectares of tree cover between 2001 and 2024, driven by a combination of agricultural expansion, logging, mining, infrastructure development, and recurring forest fires. While government policies have contributed to reducing primary forest loss in recent years, increasing demand for land, extractive industries, and large-scale agricultural development continue to pose substantial risks to forest ecosystems.

On the island of Java, where more than half of Indonesia's population lives, the challenge is even greater. Much of the original forest landscape has been converted into agricultural land over the past several decades, leaving many forest areas degraded and fragmented. These landscapes require restoration approaches that can balance ecological recovery with the economic needs of local communities.

What We Are Doing

Yayasan INFEST is working to restore degraded forest landscapes in Java by promoting community-based conservation. Our work focuses on rebuilding forest ecosystems that have gradually disappeared since the late 1990s while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for forest-edge communities.

Rather than excluding communities from forest management, we support local people as active partners in restoration. By strengthening community organizations, improving local capacities, and developing nature-based livelihoods, we aim to reduce pressure on forests while increasing community resilience.

Our Agroforestry Approach

Agroforestry is at the heart of our conservation strategy.

We integrate native timber species, Liberica and Robusta coffee, durian, sugar palm (aren), horticultural crops, spices, and livestock into diversified production systems that closely resemble natural forest structures.

This approach delivers multiple benefits:

• Restores degraded forest landscapes
• Improves soil fertility and water conservation
• Enhances biodiversity
• Diversifies household incomes
• Reduces dependence on monoculture farming
• Supports long-term community stewardship of forest resources

To strengthen sustainability, agroforestry is combined with a circular rural economy, where sheep farming produces organic fertilizer that is returned to agroforestry plots, improving soil health while reducing dependence on chemical inputs.

Looking Ahead: Our 2026 Plan

In 2026, Yayasan INFEST plans to expand its restoration efforts by preparing approximately 200 hectares of community-managed landscapes consisting of both agroforestry development areas and dedicated conservation zones.

This initiative will include:

• Establishment of new agroforestry landscapes using coffee, fruit trees, native timber, and conservation species.
• Expansion of conservation areas dedicated to ecological restoration.
• Distribution of high-quality tree seedlings to forest farmers.
• Capacity building for local communities on sustainable forest management.
• Strengthening circular economy initiatives through livestock integration and organic fertilizer production.

By integrating ecological restoration with sustainable livelihoods, we believe conservation can create lasting benefits for both forests and the communities that depend on them.

Healthy forests require resilient communities. By restoring landscapes through agroforestry, we are protecting biodiversity, strengthening local economies, and building a more sustainable future for Java's forests.