Replanting Rainforest in Sumatra, Indonesia

Some aspects of replanting the rainforest are obvious - preparing compost, finding the right seeds to plant, and making sure those seeds mature into healthy trees. 

Another important focus for the reforestation teams, especially at new restoration sites, is teambuilding. To fully restore an area to forest takes several years, not to mention the ongoing maintenance and protection work required once the forest starts to grow. This means it’s crucial that the teams trust each other and work well together. Our forest restoration teams use what's known as the interpersonal approach to teambuilding – focusing on sharing, communication and mutual support. Teambuilding activities are guided by community leaders and the restoration team manager, who use their experience to ensure the activities achieve results.

The teams are always touched to hear how many people from all over the world donate to support their work. Tomorrow, 27th November, is Giving Tuesday. Any donation made to us that day will be matched by Global Giving from their Giving Tuesday match fund, so your impact will be even bigger than usual. If you are able to, please give to our project on Giving Tuesday, and share the project with everyone you know. It will give a boost to the rainforest, and to the dedicated people who tend it. 

Links:

• https://www.orangutans-sos.org/

Bring back the forest

An Indonesian oil palm plantation is up for sale and we have a golden opportunity to buy this land and restoring the lush forest that once stood there.

This will provide shelter for orangutans and other endangered animals, and create a vital asset for local communities. By donating, you will help return this land to the forest and wildlife to whom it once belonged.

Our plan is simple. Working with our Indonesian partners — an organisation called Yayasan Orangutan Sumatera Lestari (YOSL) — we will buy and restore this 890 acre site to its former natural glory. Removing the oil palms and replanting the forest will encourage orangutans and other wildlife to return, extending their habitat from the neighbouring national park.

Forest restoration projects involve local communities from the start.

We know this works, because YOSL have an excellent track record, working closely with local communities to bring forests back to life. They already manage several other restoration sites in the region as you know, and so far have planted over 1.6 million trees. Orangutans, elephants and sun bears are returning to these areas — your donation will help create a new home for these threatened species.

This is an amazing opportunity, but we only have a few weeks to seal the deal. We need to raise the first installment by 9 September 2018 to secure the land, otherwise the land could continue to be a plantation, devoid of wildlife.

Thank you for all the support you give.

Rachel

Links:

• More information
• The real ins and outs
• Jungle book stars in video to help create new rainforest home