Nursery workers are loading tree seedlings in Ciminyak nursery to be distributed to various planting areas in West Bandung regency. Photo: Trees4Trees/Kemas Duga Muis.
The New Year is about to come! 2022 is an amazing year, and now Trees4Trees is continuing its journey of planting trees to green the world. The Trees4Trees 2022 planting season currently is underway, and more trees will be planted.
We’re thankful for those who support our green journey to make environmental improvements and help local communities through planting trees. Because of incredible support from sponsors and stakeholders, we hit some new milestones in 2022.
Trees4trees 2022 Reforestation journey
2023 will be even better, we’ll be planting a lot more trees in the coming year and helping more communities to get started in smallholder forestry. We’re going to continue our green story in 2023.
this moment is also a good oportunity to reset our habits that support a sustainable life. By changing some habits to be more eco-friendly, we are doing good to the earth and helping to save lives in the future.
Happy New Year! We wish you a greater and greener year to come. Keep spreading kindness to our earth by planting trees with Trees4Trees. You can also gift trees as New Year’s presents.
Putting Down Roots–Since November, Trees4Trees 2022 has been hard at work as part of the annual planting season. The distribution of seedlings officially kicked off on November 24, 2022, and will continue through February 2023; a range of activities are currently underway, including community engagement, farmer mentoring, and monitoring of results. As of middle December 2022, a total of 1.2 million tree seedlings have been distributed to various locations in Central and West Java by Trees4Trees; by the end of the season, this number is expected to reach 3.5 million.
Responding to the Needs of Local Communities
During the current planting season, Trees4Trees aims to plant 31 different types of tree seedling in a total of more than 16,000 sites. These locations will include a combination of farmers’ fields and public facilities, along with critical wildlife areas such as riverbanks, the outskirts of villages, and around natural springs. The involvement of local people is seen as crucial to the success of this program.
“In the tree-planting process, Trees4Trees always listens and sees the local communities’, especially farmers’ as partners,” explained Tomi Bustomi, Trees4Trees’ West Java Regional Manager. Tomi and his team have tailored the program to the needs of farmers and the unique environmental conditions in each area. “Through the program, we bring real benefits to local communities and help to renew the environment,” he added.
Among the many tree species requested so far by farmers, jabon, sengon, and eucalyptus have proven to be the most popular. Meanwhile, arabica coffee is the most requested multi-purpose plant species, due to coffee being one of Indonesia’s top commodity products, especially in West Java. As a result of the Trees4Trees initiative, farmers in the region will be able to plant new seedlings and get a great benefit from their coffee crops.
Farmers in Central Java and West Java have been able to boost their livelihoods, thanks to the seedlings provided by Trees4Trees. More than half a million seedlings have been distributed so far, in over 16,000 different locations. Photo: Trees4Trees
In Kebumen, Central Java, the seedlings most commonly requested are kaliandra and indigofera. Both plants can used as fodder, while also improving the conditions of dry soil. Several types of plants, like aren and gayam, help to replenish natural springs and can be distributed in arid areas that are vulnerable to water shortages.
Branching Out into New Planting Areas
This year, Trees4Trees is expanding its reach to include new tree-planting areas. In West Java, the Citarum watershed rehabilitation planting zone has been expanded to include three areas around the Ciminyak river and Citarik river sub-watershed regions; both of which are tributaries to the Citarum river. The two new planting sites contain a large number of critically degraded areas, as well as land prone to landslides and drought.
Meanwhile, in Central Java, the existing mangrove planting area has been successfully broadened to incorporate several villages along the shores of Pati district; a total of 43,500 mangrove seedlings have also been successfully planted around the coastal villages of Kalikalong, Bakalan, and Alasdowo. This program of mangrove planting activities will be expanded to include around six more villages, where new growth will help prevent coastal erosion on the north coast of Java and protect fishponds owned by locals.
Mangrove planting activities underway in Central Java, where Trees4Trees has been working with local communities to combat coastal erosion. Photo: Trees4Trees/Haryadi
A series of mangrove planting activities have also been extended to the other side of Central Java, specifically in the village of Ujunggalang in Kampung Laut District, Cilacap. Here, a total of 3,500 mangrove trees were recently planted in a 1-hectare area, with more trees expected to be planted soon. The main aim here is to prevent coastal erosion and restore the original mangrove forests.
As part of Trees4Trees’ commitment to transparency and our responsibility to our sponsors and partners, we use web-based GEKO (Green Earth Kontrol Organizer) technology1 and mobile application to log and monitor our tree planting activities. This includes farmer and land data collection, seedling distribution, planting, and monitoring of work flows.
Modern technology like the GEKO application (above) is helping Trees4Trees coordinate its planting efforts and communicate progress to stakeholders throughout Indonesia. Photo: Trees4Trees/Kemas Duga Muis
“Through this application, Trees4Trees is ensuring that data from tree planting process can be recorded properly and in a structured way,” said Bayu, who is Trees4Trees’ IT Manager. His goal is to facilitate improved team performance in the field, while also communicating reliable and instructive data to sponsors as part of an ongoing process of digitalization and transparency. As he explains, “in the future Trees4Trees will be an organization that is increasingly trusted by all parties in environmental conservation activities through planting trees.”
As part of this process, in 2022 Trees4Trees expanded the functionality of the GEKO app to include farmer training, seedling distribution control, division of workload for each nursery, and the delivery of organically raised seedlings and organic fertilizers to farmers.
Green Impacts, Rooted in Local Communities
Throughout the 2022 planting season, Trees4Trees is striving to achieve lasting green impacts and support environmental renewal on a broader scale. To achieve sustainable results, we’re committed to engaging and involving local communities in all planting areas, while also communicating the results of these activities to our network of partners.
Whether making environmental improvements in the Citarum basin, tackling coastal erosion on the coasts of Central Java, securing the availability of spring water or providing seedlings to farmers, the planting season is already making a tangible difference. From coast to coast in Java, Trees4Trees is planting the seeds of a greener future in Indonesia.
Writer: V. Arnila Wulandani. Editor: Christopher Alexander
1The GEKO app is a tool for forestry planning and operational control, purpose-build and developed in-house by the Trees4Trees technology team. It is available in the Google Play Store, but currently only accessible for internal use.
Wasis had never thought before that his decision to join the tree planting program initiated by Trees4Trees and Tree Ltd three years ago wouldbe a blessing for many people around him. At the time, Wasis decided to join the tree planting program solely to expand his coffee field’s productivity. However, the trees he has grown not only provide him with a good result but also help preserve the water spring that provides clean water for his fellow villagers
Wasis lives by himself in a hut not far from his field in Kalirejo Village, KebumenRegency. There is a water spring establishedin his fieldand he isgrateful for having it. Although it islittle, the water spring isthe only clean water source for his daily needs. Healso believes the water spring is the key to his fertile field that never runs dry.
Water spring in Wasis’ field produce more clean water after he planted many coffee trees. Photo: Trees4Trees/Yulianisa Dessenita
Growing Coffee is Wasis’ Specialty
Before returning to his home village eight years ago, Wasis had worked in coffee plantations in Sumatera for more than twenty years. Therefore, growing coffee has been his specialty for years. One day, he decided to come home and brought a few coffee seedlings to be planted in his own field. Although his field is not wide, he has managed it persistently since the beginning.
Formerly, Wasisplanted sometimbers, a few coffee trees,and cassava in his field. Unfortunately,cassava did not grow well in his field. Then in 2019, when Wasis received around 200 Robusta coffee seedlings from the tree planting program conducted by Trees4Trees and Tree Ltd, soon, he replaced all cassava planted in his field with Robusta coffee trees he received.
Harvesting Coffee, Making a Good Income
After three years growing coffees, a few months ago finally he harvested them for the first time. Deciding to replace cassava with coffee trees was the best decision he ever made. “I got seven kilograms of Robusta coffee beans, and I sold them at Rp27.000 per kilogram,” he said proudly.
Besides Robusta, Wasis also planted Arabica and Liberica coffee which he brought the seedlings from a plantation where he worked once. Wasis said the selling price of Liberica is higher than the other. “Liberica can reach Rp30.000 per kilogram,” he said.
To make his coffee trees lush and fruitful, Wasis makes organic fertilizer from cow dung by himself. He believes that the organic fertilizer he applied causes his coffee trees to grow well and fruitful. “I get the cow dung from my neighbors who raise cows. I prefer cow dung better than goat dung because it makes my trees lusher,” he said.
Coffee beans in Wasis’ field. Photo: Trees4Trees/V. Arnila Wulandani
Planting Trees, Preserving the Water Spring, Helping Local Residents
Wasis has been more than just proud of himself because the coffee trees he planted also made the water spring in his field produces more water than before. According to Wasis, now the spring not only can fulfill his clean water daily need but also other villagers’.
“Around ten families in a neighboring village not far from here have been lacking clean water,” Wasis revealed. According to him, the local people have tried to dig wells but there was no water coming out. It has been very struggle for them to get clean water for a long time. When they heard the water spring in Wasis’ field has produced more water than before, they asked him permission to take water from there.
“Water is the most essential thing in life, and they have had a hard time getting it for a long time. I cannot bear not to help them, so I allowed them to take water as much as they need from the spring in my field,” Wasis said.
The Trees He Grows Bring Fortune
Wasis said every neighbor who takes water from the spring, then they barter it with food crop yields or other essential things as a thank you.
“They often barter it with rice grain in return. Usually, I get 50 kilograms of rice grains as a thank you,” Wasis told us. Some people also barter the water with vegetables or other food crops, making him does not need to buy groceries for his daily food. “The water is not only bartered with food. Sometimes, when I need cow dung to make organic fertilizer, they are willing to barter it with water,” he added.
Wasis said he is so grateful because the spring can help many people and bring such fortune for him. “This spring is getting better because of trees from Trees4Trees and Tree Ltd that I have grown,” he said.
Now, his biggest hope is to grow more and more trees, especially coffee trees. He wants to get good results to increase his income as well as to preserve the water spring that many people rely on to get clean water.
Planting trees is important because most of the villagers in Kenteng Village, Central Java, work as farmers. They grow food crops such as corn, cassava, and rhizomes such as ginger and turmeric to meet their daily needs. However, the selling price of food crops is not competitive in the market. One kilogram of cassava, for example, is sold at a price of about 1,500 rupiahs (around US$0.10).
This condition forces farmers to do side jobs to fulfill their needs. Besides farming, most farmers also raise goats to support their families. Recently, many farmers even also make woven crafts from pandan leaves as their side job because the produce from farming is not enough to make a living.
The villagers are hoping that they can plant trees that can improve their livelihood and rehabilitate their environment at the same time.
Planting tree to rehabilitate the environment
The soil structure in the village is prone to landslides. But when the dry season comes, drought and clean water shortages threatened this village. In response to this, Faris, Kebumen Trees4Trees Unit Manager is conducting a tree-planting program in Kenteng Village in the 2022 planting season which starts in November.
Faris revealed that the large number of critically degraded lands and environmental problems that exist in this village were the main motivations to do the tree-planting program in this area.
“Trees4Trees is supporting the village by planting trees in an area of approximately 10 hectares. We intend to plant teak around the village because of the dry soil characteristic. It is most suitable for teak because it doesn’t need a lot of water to grow. Besides, there are also quite a lot of teak trees successfully grown in this area,” said Faris.
The condition of the soil in the village, which is seasonally arid and prone to landslides and drought, makes the life of the people in the village even more difficult. Once these conditions occur, they will disrupt the activity in the village. Farmers must stop their farming activities because collecting water has become the most urgentthing to do.
Ginardi, the secretary of Kenteng Village revealed that villagers’ biggest hope is they can plant trees that are more valuable than the food crops they are currently growing and can help their environment.
“We are hoping to be able to plant trees that can maintain the water availability and prevent landslides as well as increase the income of villagers. So, the result of the trees can improve the livelihood of villagers. The result of fruits or other valuable trees like petai or jengkol certainly will greatly benefit the villagers,” Ginardi said.
Planting fodder trees which fertilize the dry soil
Apart from relying on agricultural produce, villagers also depend on goats as livestock for their livelihood. Unfortunately, they often have difficulties finding fodder. When the dry season comes, they have to go farther to find it.
“Most of the farmers here raise goats as their investment. Currently, they feed their livestock with cassava leaves. But it is still not enough. They have to go some distance away to find more grasses and leaves for their livestock. It takes so much time. So, if we plant trees that are also can be used as animal feed, it will certainly help the villagers,” said Rokhimin, the farmer community leader of Kenteng Village.
He said that most of the villagers are now interested to plant trees that also can be used as animal feed. Considering the needs of villagers, Faris said that Trees4Trees will plant kaliandra and indigofera trees in Kenteng village beside teak and fruit tree. He said that both trees are also qualified for environmental improvement.
“Both are not only beneficial as fodder but also improve soil fertility. The village has much barren and fallow land. By planting kaliandra and indigofera, their fallen leaves can amend the topsoil and will increase soil fertility,” he said.
To help the villagers to plant trees in the village, Trees4Trees is inviting you to take part in #GivingTuesdayForTree campaign and DONATING TREES for Kenteng village until November 29, 2022. You can donate trees through GIVING TUESDAY
Trees4Trees Collaborates and the National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN) are establishing a collaboration to accelerate the development of Trees4Trees programs related to research, education, and community service. The project will reinforce all Trees4Trees programs and will be rolled out in the Citarum watershed reforestation program funded by AstraZeneca Forests and One Tree Planted.
Through the guidance and training from professional forestry experts and researchers of BRIN, it is hoped that Trees4Trees programs can create a greater impact in the local communities and environment and also contribute real world research results of BRIN’s innovation goals.
Trees4Trees Collaborates is in its Early Stage
Currently, the collaboration is in its early stages. It started by holding a training session conducted by BRIN last month. A four-day training was held at Trees4Trees Arjasari, Bandung Regency, and attended by Trees4Trees technical officers, and Field Coordinators.
As part of the event, the BRIN team visited T4T tree-planting sites at local farmers’ fields to review and evaluate the agroforestry and conservation cropping patterns that had been applied. The team also recorded data on tree growth and pests found on the young trees. In addition to the discovery event, the team also visited impact measurement locations and seedling nurseries.
Advancing Trees4Trees program development
The project is expected to advance the success of eight aspects of the Trees4Trees’ program development; agroforestry demonstration plots, conservation demonstration plots, pest control, organic fertilizer and pesticide production, environmental impacts, social impacts, nursery and seedlings production training, and development of mangrove rehabilitation.
“Currently, Trees4Trees is running a program for rehabilitation of critical areas working with local communities around Citarum watershed. To strengthen this program, Trees4Trees initiated research collaboration with BRIN which is the most relevant institution that can support this program development. In the early stages of the collaboration, starting with agroforestry plot research and research on social and ecological impacts, it is expected that the collaboration can provide great benefits,” Anto Wartono, Forestry Planning Manager of Trees4Trees commented.
Water is important for living. However, not everyone accessible to get clean water. Even though it is located not far from a dam and rivers, ironically, Kenteng Village always experiences drought and lacks clean water every during the dry season.
In addition, the village which is located in Kebumen Regency, Central Java, Indonesia is also prone to landslides during the rainy season.
Hard to get clean water during the dry season
Ginardi, the secretary of Kenteng Village said that drought always occurs in his village during the dry season. “When the dry season lasts more than two months, the water will be harder to get. People must go to the nearest springs to get clean water for their daily needs. Most of springs are located about two kilometers away,” he said.
Arif, a villager of Kenteng also told the same story about the clean water problem he has been experiencing for the last ten years. He has lived in the village since 2012. For a decade living in the village, Arif must queue for hours to get clean water like other villagers when the dry season comes. “In the long dry season, usually we don’t sleep at night because we must queue in the water spring to get clean water. I can queue from 10 PM to 3 AM,” Arif said.
The location of the springsis not easily accessible making the effort to get clean water tobecome much harder. “During the dry season, not many springs have much water coming out. From the nearest springs that have water availability, we have to carry the water manually on our shoulders to the village’s main road. Then we transport the water by motorcycle to our house. If the dry season is longer, it is even more difficult, but we do not have another choice,” he said.
Threatened by landslides during the rainy season
The clean water might be easier to get when the rainy season comes. However, this does not mean that the village free from other environmental problems. A landslide is also a potential disaster that endangers the village during the rainy season.
Farmer group leader of the village, Rokhimin revealed that several areas in the village are prone to landslides due to the soil structure. In 2017, a tremendous landslide destroyed houses, a mosque, and cattle in the village. “We are worried that landslides will occur again. Because not just one location that is prone to landslide in the village, but there are many,” added Rokhimin.
Although the villagers have planted trees and crops in the former landslide area, there has been noecological prevention oflandslide recurrences. Most of thefarmers do not know what types of trees they have to plant that canprevent landslides.
“The results from our study and survey show that Kenteng Village has a large critical area. The stakeholder of the village also conveyed that there are environmental problems. A destructive landslideoccurred in 2017 and droughts in every dry season. That’s why we need to plant trees here. Trees4Trees targets to plant 20,000 trees in this village, “said Faris, unit manager of Trees4Trees Kebumen.
Planting 20.000 trees for environmental rehabilitation
The two ecological problems are very affecting the villagers’ life, especially to meet their daily needs. So the villagers hope they can plant trees that are able to prevent erosion and maintain the availability of water as well as improve their income by harvesting the results.
“The villagers are enthusiastic about the tree-planting plan. We are hoping by planting more trees, the problems in this village are slowly solved,” concluded Ginardi.
Arif also expects tree species that have the ability to store a lot of water can be planted around the springs to restore the water sources. “I hope there will be no more problems with accessing clean water in this village, even in the dry season.”
To help the villagers to plant trees in the village, Trees4Trees is inviting you to take part in #GivingTuesdayForTree campaign and GIVING TREES for Kenteng village from 7 to 29 November 2022. You can donate trees through GIVING TUESDAY
