Samboja Lestari

Samboja Lestari ( in German: " eternal Samboja ") is a reforestation project of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation ( BOS) on Borneo. There is now an area of ​​about 1,800 ha was acquired in 2001, which was previously covered by rainforest. From this only grassland was left after intensive deforestation in recent years. BOS is reforesting the area on since 2001 and can already reported visible results, although, until recently, was considered: rain forest, which was once destroyed, is irretrievably lost.

Return of the biodiversity

Although is not here yet again as a species-rich rain forest like in the jungles of Borneo or the Amazon or the Congo Basin. But from a grass steppe is since 2001 a young rainforest become, which will evolve over time to a jungle, as we know him from the jungles. Even now clear progress can already be seen. Because in the tropical climate of Borneo plants grow many times faster than in Europe. A height of up to 17 meters, a tree can be reached within four years. And where a few years ago was still grassy steppe, now encloses already dense forest the headquarters of BOS, which is also in Samboja Lestari area. Meanwhile, around 70 species of birds have returned (eg the rare hornbill ), porcupines, dwarf deer and many other species. Even the endangered proboscis monkeys are one of seven primate species that now inhabit the area again. At night there is now again here very welcome "problem" to find it hard to fall asleep because of the many animal sounds and calls. The medium term goal is to develop the forest so far that even orangutans, sun bears and other forest dwellers of Borneo can live there.

Financing

To finance the BOS has developed, among other things, a system for symbolic purchase of land. On a dedicated website you can symbolically " buy " square area of Samboja Lestari and funded as afforestation, a nursery, salaries for Indonesian people, a much-needed fire protection and much more, which contributes to the success of the project. As more and more on Borneo rain forest is cleared and thus more and more orangutans must be included in the stations of the BOS, a financing through donations is still needed. The same goes for in-kind donations such as bandages, medicines, fire fighting equipment, etc., which are brought to Borneo by way of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation ( BOS).

Fire protection

In addition to logging and clearing for palm oil plantations represent fire as the greatest threat to the rainforest in Borneo. Although the first two for Samboja Lestari not threaten, even Samboja Lestari is always threatened by fire. Therefore a principal object of local employees located in fire protection. To this end, among other things, a fire tower was erected on the site. In addition, a central water reservoir is built from the above hoses quickly extinguishing water may be directed to a fire scene. Are fire fighting, for use in inaccessible terrain very suitable, portable extinguishing bag with syringes, spades and two from the Tierpark Hagenbeck, donated, used, off-road fire trucks ( Unimog ) are available. However, continue to be fighting equipment and until now virtually non-existent fire protective clothing and respirators needed urgently. Also, more and especially small and fast fire trucks are needed. BOS is not only a fire department for Samboja Lestari, but also fights the fire in the placed under provisional BOS management Mawas area, home to about 3,000 orangutans.

Support of the population

The local population around the area is involved in the project. Such a belt is planted from sugar palm trees surrounding the future rainforest. This is intended to serve as a protective barrier against fire and as a source of income for over 650 families. In addition, local farmers grow in the planting phase between the fruit -growing trees. On the one hand, the young trees protected against overgrowth by fast-growing alang-alang grass and the soil from erosion by wind and rain. This BOS is itself a purchaser of these harvesting fruit. 1000 kg fruits are needed as feed per day alone for the orangutan rehabilitation center Wanariset Samboja. Samboja Lestari benefit from the support of the local people especially through jobs, the fire protection program and the assurance of drinking water resources. The pilot project could also serve in the future as a water reservoir for the nearby city of Balikpapan, which could be supplied by water pipes with ten million cubic meters of drinking water. This is another proof that animal and environmental protection should also directly benefit the local people and can.

Monitoring

The afforestation area is protected in various ways from illegal logging and slash and burn. Firstly, a belt is planted from prickly salak palms between the sugar palm ring and the actual rainforest. This makes it difficult for potential thieves timber, in the first to penetrate into the area. In addition Samboja Lestari is regularly monitored from the air with ultralight aircraft and satellites. So logging is possible to recognize quickly. This documentation also has a nice side effect. Due to the aerial and satellite images to square holders can (see financing) gain an impression of how it is preceded by "their" square meters of afforestation on.