Projects | Lestari Capital

Bahenap Village

Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
10,915 ha

Supporting nature, respecting spirituality and improving lives

There are 232 types of animals and plant at Bahenap Village Forest, of which 78 species of plant and 19 species of animal are categorized as endemic and listed on the IUCN Red List.

The village community depends on the forest and the Kalis river that runs through it for their daily practical and spiritual needs. But without forest management and options for alternative livelihoods, unsustainable agriculture practices, illegal mining, and forest encroachment threaten the biodiversity and ecosystem of the area.

The Rimba Collective brings a long-term funding and performance-based payments approach to the village project. Working with project operator Bentang Kalimantan Tangguh, we support the community and prevent biodiversity loss, deforestation, and forest degradation.

Kahayan Hilir Villages

Kahayan Hilir, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
16,930 ha

Protecting peatlands, livelihoods and a thriving local culture

In 2015, forest fires destroyed over 2.6 million hectares of forests and peatlands in Indonesia, including large areas of Kayahan Hilir. Since then, government initiatives have helped guard against future damage, but there remains much more work to do.

Peatlands are in swamp areas, which are supposed to be wet. But for years, conversion and degradation, including draining for palm oil plantations, forestry and agriculture, have dried peatlands in Indonesia, allowing the high carbon contents to burn more easily due to the low moisture conditions.

The Rimba Collective is working with the local conservation organisation KpSHK to increase peat forest cover, improve the function of peat forest ecosystems, support livelihoods, and protect and conserve biodiversity.

Merangin District

Merangin District, Jambi Indonesia
10,484 ha

Sustainable Livelihoods for Communities and Prevention of Biodiversity Loss

The AHI Jambi area has experienced a significant loss of tree cover over the past 20 years. Four village forests in Merangin District are currently at risk of further deforestation due to encroachment, illegal gold mining, and the exploitation of natural resources. They require financial support to establish and maintain forest-friendly livelihoods.

High rates of deforestation and forest degradation in the Kerinci Seblat landscape pose an immense threat to the sustainability of the ecological functions of the Kerinci Seblat National Park, which this project borders.

Working with AHI Jambi, the Rimba Collective will support the village forests covered by the project to boost social forestry institutions, develop community-based forest conservation activities, preserve and restore the forest, and improve people’s livelihoods over the long term.

Tropenbos Ketapang

Ketapang, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
14,406 ha

Community-based Forest Stewardship and Improving Livelihoods

Wana Gambut Village Forest, Rawa Gambut Village Forest, Pematang Gadung Village Forest, and Pangkalan Telok Village Forest nestle in a richly biodiverse landscape. Three of the villages have peat forest ecosystems more than three metres deep.

Peatlands provide essential ecological functions, including regulating water flows, minimising the risk of flooding and drought, and storing carbon. But these village forest areas are threatened by forest encroachment, illegal logging and mining, land clearance, and expanding timber and oil palm plantations.

The Rimba Collective is working with Tropenbos Indonesia through a community-based forest management approach to preserve and restore the forest. The project aims to build good management of village forests and their surroundings, maintaining and improving the forest's ecological functions and the community's well-being.

Kapuas Hulu

Putussibau, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
10,295ha

Protecting natural resources and supporting sustainable economic development

Since 2011, The People Resources and Conservation Foundation (PRCF) has worked with Nanga Jemah, Sri Wangi, and Tanjung village, supported by philanthropic funding. Now, the Rimba Collective is joining Nanga Betung and Penepian Raya to their neighbouring villages in a collaborative programme that provides long-term financial backing.

An HCV (High Conservation Values) assessment conducted in January 2015 found 49 fauna from 34 Familia in the area, three of which are endemic to Kalimantan island, with 48 on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list.

Working with PRCF, the Rimba Collective will help improve the forest village institutions, create better forest management, develop local business through agroforestry, and support a scholarship program for local people.

The Malinou District

Malinou District, North Kalimantan, Indonesia
13,819ha

Support for communities and their landscape in three remote villages

Long Berini, Long Kemuat and Setulang Villages represent a vital corridor for endangered and vulnerable wildlife, but deforestation and degradation threaten their habitat.

Forest fires, shifting cultivation and expansion of commercial plantation areas pose serious risks to the habitats of critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable species. The east area bordering the national park experienced massive deforestation between 2001 and 2021.

With its long-term funding and performance-based payments, the Rimba Collective is working with the Institute for Promoting Sustainable Livelihood Approach (InProSuLa) to provide effective forest management, biodiversity monitoring and support for sustainable livelihoods.

The Nanga Lauk Community Forest

Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
1,430ha

A community project that conserves their forest and secures livelihoods.

Nanga Lauk Village, a peatland and riverine forest hutan desa (village forest) tucked deep into the Heart of Borneo, is under threat from logging, mining and oil palm concessions.

Together with the People, Resources and Community Foundation (PRCF-Indonesia), the local community has developed the Rimbak Pakai Pengidup (Forest for Life) initiative, ensuring they benefit from the forest and secure its survival over the long term.

Cargill, a Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) member, chose this project to meet its RSPO commitments. Performance-based payments will flow to the project for 25 years through the Lestari Capital Solutions mechanism, developing forest protection plans, patrolling the area, and building green industries.

The Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve

Seruyan, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
1,500ha

A massive ancient forest remains standing thanks to market-based financing.

At a time of unprecedented destruction of Indonesian forests, Rimba Raya or ‘The Infinite Forest’, is among the world’s largest initiatives to protect and preserve High Conservation Value (HCV) lowland peat swamp forests – one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world.

Eagle High Plantations, a Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) member, chose this project to meet its RSPO commitments. Performance-based payments will flow to the project for 25 years through the Lestari Capital Solutions mechanism, supporting additional forest management and peatland forest restoration efforts.

Sustainable conservation finance like this ensures the long-term delivery of certifiable ecosystem outcomes for the climate, biodiversity and local communities.

Projects in action, across Southeast Asia