KAPUAS HULU- WEST KALIMANTAN
Bentarum Landscape
The Bentarum landscape in Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan, is a vibrant corridor of lush forests and meandering rivers, nestled between two national parks. Home to a rich array of wildlife, including the Critically Endangered tricolour langur and over half of the remaining Northwest Bornean orangutans, this area is a crucial sanctuary for many species. Its unique mix of lowland dipterocarp and peat swamp forests makes it a biodiversity treasure trove.
The Bentarum landscape is situated in the district of Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan, close to the border with the Malaysian state of Sarawak. In the north of the landscape lies the hilly and mountainous terrain of Betung Kerihun National Park, which protects 799,999 ha of forest. To the south lies Danau Sentarum National Park, renowned for its unique seasonal lake ecosystem, protecting 127,348 ha of forest. Between the two parks lies the Bentarum...
Conservation challenges in Bentarum
Betung Kerihun and Danau Sentarum are unusual in Indonesia in being managed by one park office, a recognition of the interconnectedness of the landscape. However, despite its ecological importance, significant portions of the Bentarum corridor remain without formal protection. Its forests are increasingly fragmented....
Sangga Bumi supports sustainable development
Recognising that the threats to Bentarum’s biodiversity are multi-dimensional, Sangga Bumi is currently implementing a multi-year project to enhance the resilience of Bentarum’s residents and improve overall ecosystem health. Bringing together our Sangga STEM approach, our programme is based around four key objectives:
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Improve forest management in the Bentarum corridor through Indonesia’s social forestry system, securing Hutan Adat designation for at least eight village forests and facilitating community-led forest management.
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Increase understanding of the landscape’s wildlife. Despite its high biodiversity, the area is understudied, and data gaps impede the development of targeted conservation interventions. Sangga Bumi conducts surveys to understand the landscape’s biodiversity and conservation threats.
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Enhance forest connectivity throughout the landscape and align conservation and community development strategies. Through multi-stakeholder collaboration, we encourage sustainable development on corporate concessions, recover degraded forest areas, and integrate forest management to improve ecosystem viability.
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Empower communities to effectively manage their forest areas and build appropriate sustainable development initiatives that increase their long-term resilience and autonomy.