The Nanga Lauk Village Forest project, known as Rimbak Pakai Pengidup or Forest for Life, supports a diverse range of plant and animal species, many of which are threatened with extinction. The project is located on the Indonesian side of the island of Borneo, which boasts a stunning 6% of all global biodiversity. The majority of this 6% however is found in the thick forests and peatswamps in the center of the island, known as the Heart of Borneo region, one of the largest transboundary rainforests remaining in the world.

These ancestral community forest assets are protected by local community members with support from NGO partners that have worked with Dayak tribes and civil society members to develop the community mechanisms required for verification under the Plan Vivo standard for community forests. Plan Vivo provides a measurable framework to finance conservation results and community development outcomes to ensure more sustainable management of these important rainforest zones.

New finance delivered through Lestari Capital’s conservation finance vehicle – the Sustainable Commodities Conservation Mechanism (SCCM)  is supporting  more effective forest management, through forest patrols and biodiversity protection efforts. New support from Cargill will also help project proponents expand the protected area beyond its initial 1,500 hectares to include additional standing forest that would otherwise be destroyed or degraded. The community’s efforts have already prevented the loss or degradation of 100s of hectares of valuable forest habitat each year, which supports the conservation of critically endangered species and secures old-growth rainforest that has long been a traditional tribal asset.

The majority of households in the Nanga Lauk village rely on forest and water areas for their livelihoods, and as source of food, fuel, building materials and traditional medicine. Sustainable forest management enables better management of these resources while also introducing new livelihood opportunities including the sale of honey and rattan and bamboo products, and ecotourism.

Identified as a priority for biodiversity conservation because of the exceptional diversity of species it supports, and the high levels of threat they face from deforestation and forest degradation. The project is part of the Embaloh peat swamp and peatland landscape complex around Danau Sentarum National Park. It consists of a mixture of peat swamp forest, riparian forest, swamp vegetation and open water.

Effective management of forest in Nanga Lauk will prevent the loss or degradation of up to 60 hectares of valuable forest habitat each year, supporting the conservation of the critically endangered mammals – Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), Bornean Banded Langur (Presbytis chrysomelas), and Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica); birds – Helmeted Hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil), and Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmaeus); and reptiles – False Gharrial (Tomistoma schlegelii) and the thousands of other species that make use of the forest.

Situated on the Southern coast of Borneo, in the province of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, one massive ancient forest continues to stand thanks to market-based financing. At a time of otherwise 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 highly endangered ecosystems in the world. Through the SCCM, the ecosystem outcomes resulting from implemented peatland forest restoration efforts are recognized and supported.

Once designated for destruction and conversion into a palm oil plantation, the over 64,000 hectare Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve, developed by trailblazing project developer, InfiniteEARTH, is a living example of an economically viable alternative to deforestation. Value attributed to the avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions through the preservation and restoration of rich carbon stores in the peatlands and forest of the area, enables the project to finance the protection of key endangered species, contribute to the local economy by creating jobs and financing micro-enterprises, as well as provide access to clean water, efficient cookstoves, solar power, education and health services- all while fostering principles of sustainable growth amongst our local communities. To expand the impact of this initiative, Rimba Raya and Infinite Earth have formed a partnership with the Sustainable Commodities Conservation Mechanism (SCCM), implemented by Lestari Capital. Using this SCCM system, the RSPO member Eagle High Plantations has chosen this project to meet its RSPO commitments. Financing will flow to the project for a 25-year period and support additional forest management and peatland forest restoration efforts. The SCCM provides independent fiduciary oversight that ties payments to conservation outcomes on the ground, ensuring benefits to local communities, global climate and biodiversity.

The Rimba Raya project was the first REDD+ forest carbon project in the world to receive triple-gold validation under the Climate Community and Biodiversity Alliance Standard (CCBA) and the first REDD+ project to be validated under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). With the capacity to avoid over 130 million tons of carbon dioxide, it is one of the largest emission avoidance projects in the world. That’s the equivalent of removing one million cars from the world’s highways every year for the next 30 years. The protection of this area will protect the almost 300 species of birds, 122 species of mammals, and 180 species of trees and plants found in the Reserve. Project revenue funds wildlife rehabilitation programs, reforestation, community initiatives, environmental education programs and helps fund the Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) with whom they have established a long-term conservation partnership. Additionally, the project is committed to the protection of nearby Tanjung Puting National Park. Through the SCCM, the project will receive performance-based financing for the next 25-years. This ongoing financing supports the rehabilitation and replanting of currently degraded peatland forest areas along with the monitoring and reporting on the performance of their efforts.