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Regrow Borneo

Regrow Borneo plants trees to support livelihoods in local communities, increase biodiversity, and promote ecosystem resilience in the Lower Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysia.

01/02/2021

Tree planting and community

Regrow Borneo plants trees to support livelihoods in local communities, increase biodiversity, and promote ecosystem resilience in the Lower Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysia.

Since the 1980s, 3/4 of the area’s tropical rainforest has been lost to deforestation, largely from the expansion of oil palm plantations. This threatens many endangered species including the Bornean orangutan, Bornean elephant, Sunda clouded leopard, Malayan sun bear and Sunda Pangolin. Destruction of these ecosystems also contributes to climate change.

Trees are grown, planted and maintained by local communities paid a fair wage. The project is also research led, it tracks the growth of the planted trees, their carbon sequestration rates, as well as the social, environmental, and economic impacts of forest restoration.

Average cost to plant 1 tree and maintain it for 3 years = £2
Average cost to restore a hectare of rainforest = £5,000 (2,500 trees)

As of December 2021, Orangutan Appeal UK is pleased to have provided grants to the Regrow Borneo project totalling £7,500GBP.

In appreciation of our support project director, Professor Benoit Goosens, sent us the below video filmed on one of the restoration plots in the Kinabatangan.

Regrow Borneo Image 2

In April 2021 the team planted approximately 2,500 saplings in one of the restoration sites called Kaboi Lake using the funding provided by Orangutan Appeal UK. They set camera traps to monitor the site for large mammals and were delighted to capture this stunning flanged male orangutan crossing the site.

Thanks to the hard-working team, 8.9 hectares of forest were planted in 2021 equating to approximately 16,300 trees in total! We are really proud to support them.

"At a time when action on the climate crisis is more urgent than ever, Regrow Borneo delivers a model of sustainable and ethical reforestation that goes beyond simple carbon sequestration."

- Regrow Borneo

Regrow Borneo Camera Trap Orangutan

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