Harapan Rainforest

Restoration of Harapan Rainforest at Jambi, Sumatra in Indonesia, 2012-2015.

Harapan Rainforest

In 2011 Danida made 50 million DKK available for a development project, which aims at demonstrating how the tropical rainforest can be restored in one of the most threatened forest areas of the world - the Harapan Rainforest is situated close to Jambi at Sumatra in Indonesia.

The forests in Indonesia play a major role in relation to the climate- and biodiversity aspects, not only nationally but also globally. Deforestation and degradation of forests in the tropic account for approximately 20 % of the annual global CO2 emission. Counteracting the destruction of the tropical forests will contribute significantly to avoiding the negative consequences of climate change globally. Forest restoration and protection is a very cheap way to reduce CO2 emission compared to reductions from industries, transport, etc.

The objective of the Danida support to Harapan Rainforest is to gain knowledge about CO2 accumulation the biodiversity increments through rehabilitation of degraded tropical rainforests. Harapan Rainforest, approximately 1000 km2, was the first restoration concession approved by the Indonesian forest authorities and the intervention is in many ways a pilot project.

The project has four components: i) Restore and protect degraded tropical rainforest; ii) Enhancing the livelihood of the local/indigenous people being dependent of the forest; iii) Support development of policies, rules and regulations for restoring of tropical forests; iv) Research and knowledge distribution.

IGN contributes with research, education and development within the following areas: 

  • Population and ecological genetics in tropical forest restoration
  • Silvicultural aspects of restoration
  • Carbon dynamics of tropical forest ecosystem restoration
  • Non timber forest products and income generation for local communities
  • Training courses and communication strategy

IGN provides inputs to Harapan Rainforest for approximately 8 million DKK out of the total Danida support of 50 million DKK:

  • 4 Ph.D. students, one for each of the first four activity areas.
  • IGN provides annually 12 mm of advisory services and 10-20 mm of short term inputs.