Planting Trees Supporting Cidaun Tourism
Restoring Ecosystems, Strengthening Community-Based Tourism Through Tree Planting.
Trees planted
Families helped
Total areas reforested
CO2 captured
Project started
Planting methods
Located in southern Cianjur Regency in West Java, Cidaun borders the Indian Ocean, with coastline that directly faces the open ocean. This makes the coastline highly vulnerable to coastal erosion that threatens local communities. At the same time, the coastal area is a key source of local community income, serving as tourist destinations, supporting local livelihoods through restaurants, beach activities, and fish auctions.
The terrestrial area of Cidaun is characterized by mountainous and hilly landscapes dominated by steep slopes and deep valleys. Its short, fast-flowing rivers create sharp seasonal water volume fluctuations – making the area prone to floods during the rainy season and drought during dry season.
The extreme steep slopes, combined with agricultural and land conversion, also make the area highly vulnerable to geological hazards, primarily erosion and landslides. Approximately 90% of the Cidaun area is prone to floods, landslides, droughts, and whirlwinds, especially during the rainy season.
Tree-planting efforts in both coastal and inland areas aim to expand tree cover, reduce both coastal and land erosion, strengthen land and water conservation, sequester carbon, and support community-based tourism by enhancing the value and expansion of coastal pine trees along the shoreline of Cidamar and Jayanti Beach.
Location :
Total area degraded :
Cause of degradation :
Potential area for planting :
Planting density :
Steep Contour
The extreme steep slope makes the area highly vulnerable to geological hazards, primarily erosion, landslides, flood, and drought
Coastal Erosion
The large and powerful waves of the southern ocean continuously erode the coastline.
Land Conversion
Land conversion, primarily due to industrial and business pressure, exacerbates environmental degradation.
The tree-planting initiative benefits coastal communities by planting coastal pine trees that enhance tourism value while protecting residents from tidal waves and coastal erosion.
Tree-planting in inland areas supports local farmers who participate as planting partners and later benefit from harvesting non-timber forest products to improve their livelihoods. Additionally, restored terrestrial environments reduce the risk of landslides, drought, and flooding, providing broader benefits for surrounding communities.
As part of West Java’s rich biodiversity, the Cidaun region holds strong potential for the presence of endemic flora, particularly those associated with southern tropical forests. One notable group commonly found in the coastal and secondary forest areas of South Cianjur is the Dipterocarpaceae family – tree species characterized by large canopies and valuable non-timber products such as resin and camphor. The region is also home to various forest orchids and medicinal plants that are typical of Java’s hilly ecosystems.
Cidaun is likewise an important habitat for endemic fauna. Javan Gibbon (Hylobates moloch), for example, faces serious threats due to habitat loss and hunting. Meanwhile, species such as Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis) and Barking Deer (Muntiacus muntjak) are classified as “Least Concern,” yet remain vulnerable to ongoing habitat degradation.
The Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas) is classified as “Endangered.” A recent review by the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group confirms it as a distinct subspecies. The thriving ecosystem in Cidaun will protect this valuable biodiversity, especially those that are threatened and endemic.
Jayanti Beach
Jayanti Beach, one of our tree-planting sites where we plant casuarina or coastal pine trees, is a hidden gem that attracts many visitors. The beach is known for its black sand and its pristine, untouched natural beauty.
Gunung Padang Megalithic Complex
The site is known as a megalithic complex located in Cianjur, West Java, widely considered to be the largest in Southeast Asia. The site is a terraced, step-mound structure (Punden Berundak) built atop an ancient volcanic hill.
The site features five distinct terraces constructed from thousands of massive andesite stone columns, connected by 370 steps. Archaeologists generally agree it served as a sacred or ritualistic place of worship for prehistoric communities, likely dating back to around 2,000 BCE. Gunung Padang was officially declared a national cultural heritage site in 2014.
This tree-planting initiative, carried out in both coastal and inland areas, aims to expand tree cover, strengthen land and water conservation, and address key geological hazards such as erosion, landslides, flooding, and drought, as well as support local livelihood by enhancing non-forest harvest from multipurpose trees planted.
Additionally, the project supports community-based tourism by enhancing the value of local attractions through the expansion of coastal pine trees along the shoreline of major tourist destinations, supporting local community livelihoods.
Why Support This Project
- Help local communities to prevent natural disasters, mainly landslides and floods caused by steep geological contours and land conversion due to development pressures
- Support coastal local community-based tourism
- Help local communities in water conservation efforts to prevent drought.
Related Stories by Projects
Balancing Industrial Growth with Urban Forest Planting
From electricity consumption and infrastructure development to manufacturing and distribution,
Unpredictable seasons, rising heatwaves, heavier rainfall, extreme floods, cyclones, and
Surrounded by over 8,000 hectares of coastal trees and wetlands,
Nestled in the foothills of the Malabar Mountains in Bandung
Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago, is rich in cultural heritage