In South Kalimantan, 399,000 hectares (41%) of the 974,000 hectares of Meratus forest area are controlled by mining permits. The Meratus Dayak community is the most affected, especially due to the 2021 flash floods and landslides. Illegal coal mining companies has been increasing significantly in Central Kalimantan, especially in the Barito area. Countless trucks milled about, along with illegal stockpiles in the villages around the sites. West Kalimantan is now ranked as the province with the second largest oil palm plantation area, which is 2 million hectares out of a total of 5.8 million hectares of oil palm in Kalimantan. Meanwhile, Central Kalimantan is the third largest with an area of 1.9 million hectares.
Not only these extractive industries have taken a toll on the land and violate the rights of the Dayak communities, they have also become a significant threat to the survival of the endemic plants of Borneo.
Whenever I went to the villages, I always asked the elders, “What is your hope for the Kalimantan?” Surprisingly, all of them had the same answer.
“Whatever is left from the remain forests, please don’t destroy it anymore.”
This area, Talekoi Forest, is located on the side of the company's road and the owners of the properties consider selling it to mining companies as a stockpile area. The company offers around 7,000 USD for one hectare of the land. We want to make it as a conservation area, since the village where we have tree nursery center program is nearby.
There are total 30 hectares that we need to secure. The target is to raise $ 30,000 USD. Every 15$ will save 100 meter-square of the forest.
Please, donate now and help us to purchase Talekoi Forest!
If you have any questions about the purchase and protection of Talekoi Forest or any of our projects please email me at emmanuela.shinta@ranuwelum.org