Why We Need to Act Now
This map provides a detailed visual representation of deforestation trends in the Kinabatangan region, spanning from 1973 to 2014. The green areas on the map indicate the original forest cover, which has progressively diminished over the years.
As you observe the timeline, you’ll notice these green areas being overtaken by different land uses, with the most significant transformation being the expansion of oil palm plantations, depicted in pink.
The map also highlights Kinabatangan’s geographical position on the northern coast of Borneo, clearly marked in the top left corner, offering context to the broader environmental changes occurring in this critical area.
Our Approach
Regrow Borneo combines scientific expertise with local community knowledge to reforest lowland tropical forests in the Kinabatangan region. These forests, with their diverse soils and annual flooding, support a wide variety of wildlife and human interests. By addressing the challenges of these complex environments, we aim to develop new scientific insights and innovative methods for forest restoration.
Power of Collaboration
We collaborate with local communities, the state government, and academic institutions in Malaysia. These trusted relationships allow us to tackle challenging reforestation areas that many traditional tree planting programs avoid.
Our Focus
Rather than planting the highest number of trees, we plant trees where they are most needed, benefiting people, wildlife, and the climate. During the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, our goal is to develop a model that can be replicated elsewhere to successfully reforest areas previously considered “too difficult.”
A Healthy Hectare
Restoring a healthy hectare involves planting local trees from community nurseries and maintaining them for three years. We monitor each hectare using modern drone technology and traditional survey methods to ensure tree growth and survival despite natural challenges like flooding or animal predation.
Ecology
The Kinabatangan River floodplain is home to iconic species like the orangutan, Bornean elephant, and proboscis monkey. We use 20 years of conservation experience to monitor changes in plant and animal populations. This includes identifying plant species, tracking large animals with camera traps, and surveying smaller animals such as frogs.
Communities
Local community organizations are central to our process, helping decide restoration areas and methods. They harvest seeds, grow and plant seedlings, and monitor sites post-planting. Regrow Borneo provides a living wage for their work, offering a sustainable income alternative to oil palm agriculture and supporting environmental tourism. We also conduct academic research to assess the impact of our reforestation on local communities.
Carbon Sequestration
To address the Climate and Nature Emergency, reducing carbon emissions is crucial. However, we must also remove past emissions. Tropical forests are highly efficient at capturing carbon dioxide. A mature hectare of Bornean rainforest can store up to 400 tonnes of carbon. We measure the carbon stored in our reforested areas to accurately report how much carbon dioxide our efforts remove from the atmosphere.