Community-based programs provide crucial contact with regional communities in Kalimantan and foster dialogue between OFI and local people. We see our role as not only helping to educate and develop sustainable strategies for forest conservation but also to affect behavioral change both locally and nationally.

The Sekonyer River
The Sekonyer Kanan River flows through the forests of Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Indonesian Borneo.

Community engagement is central to our work in protecting orangutans. OFI produces educational programs for local schools, delivers public lectures in North America, Europe, and Indonesia as well as other countries in Asia. OFI also organizes conferences, training programs and disseminates news about orangutans, their plight, and forest conservation issues.

Tree planing programs are part of OFI’s community mission. OFI assists in the planting of various tree species in degraded areas outside of Tanjung Puting National Park as well as inside the Park. We employ local people from the community as well as OFI staff in our tree planting programs.  

As well as educating people locally and nationally, OFI took possession of a local zoo in the town of Pangkalan Bun and converted it into a four hectare (10 acres) forest sanctuary for proboscis monkeys and other wildlife.

Through our programs we hope to encourage greater demand for protection of orangutans and their tropical forest habitat locally and nationally and generate pressure for government policy change. You can read more about our programs below.

  • In 2013 Orangutan Foundation International rescued 13 orangutan infants locally from captivity and 21 in 2012. OFI also translocated a number of wild orangutans to safe areas during this time. All newly rescued captive orangutan orphans entered the rehabilitation and release program at the Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine to join the orphan orangutans already there. But why are they there?

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