Plant A Tree. Protect A Home.

Without trees, there is no life. This is the case for both humans, as well as orangutans whose homes reside within its leafy canopies. The power of the rainforest cannot be understated as it creates its own weather and influences climates around the world. And despite their ecosystems being wonderfully biodiverse, they are also incredibly fragile. They need our protection, just as we need them to protect us. Planting trees is one of the most effective and simplest ways to build a future for orangutans! This is why we are calling on you to – Plant A Tree. Protect A Home.

As the only arboreal great ape, orangutans spend more than 90% of their time in the trees. They sleep in nests built upon branches, they use large leaves as shelter from the rain, they forage for fruit and even eat the bark and insects on the trees. There is no denying that trees are fundamental to every aspect of an orangutan’s life and to the future of the species as a whole.

IAR Indonesia’s extensive habitat preservation project plants, protects and monitors the trees where orangutans are found and aids the long-term viability of the species in those forests. Additionally, the holistic approach for this project is fortified on a strong scientific basis and promotes economic development for local communities, which in turn fosters gender equality and sustainable livelihoods.

Yes, trees can do all of this! Plant one today and so can you.

With your support we can protect and restore forests, conserve biodiversity and generate economic growth and prosperity for people living around these areas.

Supporting Local Women

We are passionate about supporting women’s rights and opportunities across all our work. Many of the forest restoration projects in Indonesia are female led and focus on providing opportunities and support for local women to empower them by being economically independent and increasing awareness of their basic rights.

Traditionally, in these project areas, women are predominantly responsible for the household chores and aren’t given the opportunity to contribute to the household income. We employ women at our nurseries to grow the trees from seeds to saplings. The seeds are picked from the forest and grown in pots made of pandanus leaves. These seedlings are then carefully nurtured over a period of months, until they reach a size where they can be planted and carefully monitored over a period of years to ensure the highest survival rate. Their leadership has ensured we have a 83% survival rate to date!

Sustainable Livelihood

The pandanus pots mentioned above is a new initiative from the team in Indonesia. The leaves of the pandanus plant are long, strong and great for weaving! And because of their natural porous nature, there is no need to drill holes for drainage, saving on labour. Pandan leaves also keep the seedings at a cooler temperature and are naturally biodegradable - meaning no need for nasty plastic pots!

So not only are these women employed to nurture the seedlings to maturity, IAR Indonesia will also purchase the pandanus pots from them, supplying them with an additional income. By providing these women with the tools to generate income, they can contribute towards family earnings and have higher economic independence.

Amazingly, all of this is achievable for just $5! Plant a tree today to restore the rainforest, protect orangutans and empower women.

Plant a Tree for Future Generations

Donating a tree today brings a new hope for future life! Orangutans are dependent on trees, and this begins when they first enter into this world on day one. Females usually give birth in their nests which are built to accommodate pregnancy weight and for safety to prevent the infant from slipping through a gap.

Last year we were given a glimpse into why preserving forested regions is so important to wildlife, following the news of a wild birth in an area IAR Indonesia are actively replanting! Susi, an orangutan who had been rescued, rehabilitated and released was seen to have given birth to a baby in her natural habitat. Little Sinar was born into a forest where she will learn from her affectionate mother and use the trees to develop her skills so she too can thrive in wild. 

By planting a tree and preserving the ecosystem of these forests, the natural balance can be maintained, bringing hope for future wild births and the survival of the species as a whole.

Planting a tree today really is the best way you can not only help orangutans, but also the people of Indonesia. To-date we’ve planted over 100,000 trees with an 83% survival rate! But we need your help to do more.

For just $5 you can bring lasting hope to orangutans by planting and protecting their precious habitat.