Description
🌍 The Challenge We’re Tackling
Forests are inseparable from the lives of local communities in Central Kalimantan. For generations, these communities—especially the Dayak people—have depended on forests for their livelihoods, culture, and well-being. But today, forests are being exploited unfairly and excessively, driven by economic interests that ignore environmental limits. This imbalance threatens biodiversity, accelerates climate change, and endangers the way of life of forest communities. If we do nothing, we risk losing not only vital ecosystems, but also ancestral knowledge, cultural heritage, and the rights of those who have protected the land for centuries.
📜 Our Solution
The Pandu Alam Lestari (PAL) Foundation works to protect and restore forests in Borneo with the involvement of local communities. Founded by young Dayak leaders concerned about environmental destruction and social injustice, PAL blends conservation with economic resilience, cultural preservation, and education. We restore degraded land, support forest-based livelihoods, preserve indigenous wisdom, and accompany communities in building sustainable, self-determined futures.
🌱 Our Organisation / Community
PAL Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Our team includes environmentalists, community leaders, bureaucrats, academics, and social workers. We focus on five key missions:
- 🌳 Forest protection and restoration
- 🌾 Creating sustainable forest product value chains
- 🧠 Preserving culture and traditional knowledge
- 🤝 Strengthening community partnerships
- 📚 Promoting environmental education and research
We believe that local communities are not just stakeholders—they are stewards and leaders in protecting the forests.
🖼️ See Our Impact
🔗 View Our Hypercert here
📝 What This Hypercert Represents
From 2022 to December 2023, the Pandu Alam Lestari Foundation (PAL), supported by Heidehof Stiftung, piloted a land restoration project in Bawan Village, Central Kalimantan. The initiative focused on rehabilitating fire-impacted land through agroforestry, planting 3,400 trees across 10 hectares and integrating environmental education and sustainable land practices.
Throughout 2023, we conducted quarterly maintenance—clearing around trees, applying manure, and replacing dead seedlings—across both rainy and dry seasons. The project engaged local farmers, students, and women’s groups, building hands-on skills in long-term restoration and agroforestry.
In a region where land restoration competes with extractive industries like mining and palm oil, our work tested local interest in agroforestry as a viable, sustainable alternative. Despite facing challenges such as poor soil conditions and limited landowner participation, this pilot laid the foundation for future community-led restoration and local economic resilience.
✅ Proof That It’s Working
Our restoration site in Bawan Village is living proof that regeneration is possible, even on degraded, fire-impacted land.
- 🌱 3,400 trees planted
- 🧑🌾 Multi-stakeholder engagement: women, youth, and farmers
- 📚 Community education and sustainable land use practices
🎥 Watch Our Videos here and here
📂 See the Proof of Impact
💡 Join Us in Making a Difference!
Your support helps us protect Borneo’s forests and support the communities who call them home. By donating, you help us grow more than trees—you grow knowledge, culture, and resilience. Help us scale this success and ensure that the forests of Central Kalimantan continue to thrive for generations to come.