South East Asia

South East Asia’s forests are some of the most biodiverse in the world, hosting four of the world’s 25 biodiversity hotspots. But the region also a major global deforestation front. Over the last 20 years, it has lost over 10 million hectares of primary forest, an area the size of Iceland, largely due to fires and clearance for oil palm and timber plantations.

Partnerships for Forests supports partners in the region who aim to create value from standing forests through sustainable means. Potential areas of focus in the region include:

  • Reduced impact logging, non-timber forest products or payments for ecosystem services
  • Rehabilitation and regeneration of forests and peatland, for long-term sustainable use of these lands
  • Deforestation free commodity chains, for example in palm oil and pulp and paper

The programme will support partnerships between private investors, local communities and the public sector that are focused both on sustainable forests and agricultural activities, as well as long-term profitability.

News & Events

How your moisturiser could also be protecting Borneo’s forests and indigenous traditions

RLU named one of Indonesia’s greenest companies

Eagle High commits 25 years of conservation funding in Central Kalimantan

Launch of the Sustainable Commodities Conservation Mechanism – first partner Cargill commits to 25 years of conservation finance through innovative new financial mechanism

Resources

Illipe Nut: A New Value Chain with Strong Social and Gender Potential

This case study explores how Partnerships for Forests is supporting ethical commodity producer Forestwise to develop a market for illipe butter to unlock the commercial value of the illipe nut and support communities in West Kalimantan, with a particular focus on the model’s gender and social impact.