As the largest metropolitan city and Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta’s hustle bustle comes with significant environmental challenges – from air pollution to declining of water and soil quality. However, the intense development pressures extend beyond the city itself, affecting surrounding buffer zones both in rural and urban areas, including Bogor to the south and Tangerang to the west. 

About 60 kilometers from the center of Jakarta City lies Mount Pancar in Sentul, Bogor – a mountainous landscape where many Jakartans escape their routines to break for a while, just to enjoy the nature and scenic view. Unfortunately, the area’s growing popularity has created a new pressure. Not only does the rapid development by the business and shopping centers occur, but every weekend, traffic becomes congested and the site is flooded with visitors, making it increasingly urgent to preserve the natural integrity.  

Strengthening Rural Erosion Prone and Sloping Area 

Cibingbing waterfall, part of Mount Pancar complex, attracts large numbers of visitors every weekend with its hiking trails and river activities. The waterfall is one of four waterfalls in the area, all known for their strong water discharge. Yet its steep slopes and terrain make the area highly susceptible to erosion and landslides. As human activities increase in the area, the risk of tree cover loss also rises, heightening the threat of landslide and flooding.  

To support this area, Sumitomo Electric Group Indonesia and Sumi Indo Kabel, together with Trees4Trees, planted 300 trees on vulnerable slopes near the waterfall. “The planting focuses on erosion control and water conservation,” said Khoirum Minan, Trees4Trees Project Manager. According to him, the trees are also expected to help protect river streams and maintain water reserves during the dry season, enhance oxygen supply, provide shade, improve the landscape, and offer non-timber benefits for local communities. 

This effort continues the companies’ environmental commitment, following last year’s planting of 2,000 trees in the foothills of Mount Salak, another rural area of Bogor. 

Planting Trees Together, Nurturing Well-Being in Nature with Hiking 

Taking place along the waterfall hiking trail, the tree planting involved employees from nine subsidiaries of Sumitomo Group, with over 100 participants joining as tree planting volunteers. “Albizia, cadamba, avocado, and nutmeg were selected as the area is well suited to these species, accelerating their chances of healthy growth and survival,” said Khoirum Minan. 

Eva, the Sumi Indo Kabel HR emphasized that representatives from most subsidiaries took part in the tree planting, as engaging employees is an integral part of their sustainability program. “By involving them to this activity, we hope to raise awareness and instill both knowledge and a spirit of environmental stewardship among our staff,” she said.  

In line with Eva’s statement, Masashi Fukui, Executive Officer of Sumitomo Electric Indonesia and the person in charge for Sumitomo’s global sustainability program, emphasized the involvement of team members is crucial to achieving their sustainability goal. “At Sumitomo, we go beyond generating profits – we are committed to giving back to society and the environment. This tree-planting event is part of our global CSR program, engaging employees in caring for nature and supporting local communities,” he said. 

Alongside the tree-planting activity, the program also included a two kilometer-hiking trip to the waterfall, offering staff members wellness experience immerse in nature and a moment to reflect on how deeply human life depend on nature “This is not only about contributing to nature, but also about giving our volunteers the opportunity to reconnect with and enjoy nature itself,” said Eva. 

Expanding Green Commitment: Creating Urban Forest 

As carbon reduction is one of Sumitomo Group’s global sustainability goals, the tree-planting program goes beyond greening rural areas. After planting in rural Bogor, the initiative expanded to Tangerang City, where the Sumi Indo Kabel office is located.  

In this urban area, the program focuses on creating an urban forest by planting an additional 2,300 trees. Serving as the company responsibility to the surrounding environment, the initiative aims to increase green spaces to help address air pollution, urban heat, and declining water and soil quality – environmental pressures facing Tangerang as one of Jakarta’s rapidly developing buffer zones.  

Mario Eko Cumentas, Chairperson of the Sumitomo Electric Group Indonesia Area Committee, emphasized that both rural and urban tree planting reflect the long-term company’s strong commitment to environmental sustainability. 

“Tree planting is essential for the future of our planet, and we are committed to continuing this effort,” he said. “We also encourage other communities and companies to take similar action, as caring for the environment is our shared responsibility. Trees are vital for all living beings – including us.” 

Writer: V. Arnila Wulandani. Photos: Y. Dessenita & M. Elly Nezar