Sustainability

Indonesia's rainforests are one of the most biodiverse natural areas left on the planet.

Of the country's 3,305 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles, just over 30 percent are exclusive natives to Indonesia, and just under 10 percent are threatened. These rare species include the orang-utan and komodo dragons which are in danger of extinction.

Indonesia is also home to at least 29,375 species of plants, of which almost 60 percent are exclusive to Indonesia.

But these natural environments are under increasing threat.
The rainforests in Indonesia are being cut down and burnt faster than they can regrow.

The threats include logging (both legal and illegal) by the timber and paper industries, and massive area clearances (by ecologically devastating slash and burn methods) to make way for huge monoculture Palm oil plantations, driven by a voracious international demand for Palm oil which currently outstrips supply.

Today just under half of Indonesia is forested, representing a significant decline in its original forest cover.

Between 1990 and 2005 the country lost more than 28 million hectares of forest, including 21.7 hectares of virgin forest.
Since the 1990s, deforestation rates of primary forest cover have climbed 26 percent.

Today, Indonesia's forests are some of the most threatened on the planet.

The effects from forest loss have been widespread, including irregular river flows, soil erosion, and reduced yield from forest products.

Many areas of valuable and beautiful natural rainforest have already been destroyed.. and there has been strong local protest against this kind of destruction. But in some cases, local people sell off their land for quick profits.

Key to combatting this type of short-term economic decision, is to highlight the alternatives that do exist for local growers.

One such alternative is to encourage the sustainable management of forests in the production of non-timber forest products (NTFPs).

The primary ecological benefit of promoting successful NTFP harvesting, is that it preserves the natural habitat in these forests.

Benzoin Gum Sumatra is one such NTFP with great potential to protect and preserve Indonesian rainforests from logging interests, clearing for palm oil plantations, and other such unsustainable practices.

It is recognised that managed forest land-use systems such as those in which Styrax Benzoin trees are grown, can provide the following benefits in this critically threatened region:

• * Low 'management' footprint, i.e. little interruption to the natural ecology of the area


• * The preservation of rich biodiversity


• * Long-term Economic Sustainability for local people


• * Local protection against logging and clearance for palm oil plantations

We believe that there has to be local commercial value in preserving the biodiversity in these forests, or they will fall to short-term economic interests - and there is.

Our long-term vision is to promote this and other sustainably-managed practices to ensure the ongoing survival of this most precious natural environment.

Learn more about Styrax Benzoin Gum Sumatra

Please contact us for further enquiries.