Primeval forests were once widely spread on the island of Java, which is where Jakarta, the capital of the Republic of Indonesia, is located. Currently, intact forests only remain in the west of this island. In the past few decades, much of the forest of Java has been converted into farmlands and residential areas. Illegal logging still continues in the remaining forested areas. Much of this illegal logging is done by local people who are trying to make a living, and it is a difficult problem to solve. Damage to the environment from deforestation is also a serious problem.
The little remaining forest area on the island of Java has been preserved as the Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park. This Reforestation Project combined with community-based agroforestry is conducted through a combination of activities in order to restore this region. With the cooperation of Conservation International, we will plant trees within about 200 hectares of degraded buffer zone of the national park over the next three years.
We will determine the types of trees to be planted in consideration of local desires after holding a number of meetings with the local communities. We plan to plant endemic species and tree species that have edible fruits, which can help the local communities make a living.
In this project, we are aiming that the restored forests will form "green walls" in the buffer zone of the national park in the future. These green walls will prevent soil erosion and landslides, as well as protect water sources, contribute to alleviating climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and provide various other benefits.
