At Trees4Trees, we started the new year early, by kicking off our 2023-2024 planting season back in December. With the generous support of our sponsors, volunteers, and donors, we plan to continue these programs through March 2024. 

Since December, millions of seedlings have been distributed from our nurseries to locations all over Java. Each of these trees offers reason for hope. From village to city and from coast to coast, they can help protect the environment and empower local communities.  

Rising to the challenge 

Indonesia saw its fair share of troubles in 2023. An extended dry season, caused by El Niño, delayed our planting efforts by a month – from November to December. Now the rains have finally arrived, were determined to make up for lost time. 

“We intend to plant 4.9 million trees across Java,” says Pandu Budi Wahono, Trees4Trees Program Manager. “This will help around 21,770 local farmers in 231 villages,” he added.

Continuing the Citarum Watershed project  

A big part of this program is our Citarum Watershed restoration project. Our goal, with support from 18,800 local farmers in 176 villages in the watershed area, is to plant 4 million trees in the next couple of months. 

“The restoration covers areas around five sub-watersheds,” explains Tomi Bustomi, who is our Regional Manager for West Java. “Ciminyak, Ciwidey, Cisangkuy, Cirasea, and Citarik River.,”  

Working alongside the Government of Indonesia, Tomi and his team aim to plant 10 million trees by 2025. In doing so, they will help restore ecosystems, preserve cultural and economic value for local communities, and safeguard biodiversity. 

A shore sign of progress: Replanting on the coast of Java 

In Pati Regency in Central Java, Trees4Trees is creating a green belt along the shoreline by planting mangroves. From 2021 through 2023, we already planted a total of 195,200 trees in six villages. Now, the plan is to extend these efforts to four more villages in the region.  

During December and January, a total of 33,750 new trees were planted in the villages of Semerak, Dukuhseti, Tegalombo, and Banyutowo. Khoirum Minan is the Trees4Trees Pati Unit Manager, who says extending the green belt in this way can benefit local communities by “preventing high tides from hitting residential areas and fishponds owned by locals.”  

Saving water, improving lives  

Last year’s prolonged dry season had a massive impact on local communities. Lots of places experienced serious water shortages, which affected both people and plants. To prevent this happening again in the future, Trees4Trees has been busy planting lots of tropical fruit trees known for their ability to store water when times are hard.  

These tree species include teak, kaliandra, and indigofera. We’ve also planted multi-purpose trees like coffee and petai, which are good for the environment and offer a sustainable source of income for local people too. 

Expanding urban forests 

Our replanting plan extends to all kinds of environments, tackling a range of problems. This even includes cities and industrial areas, where trees bring some much-needed shade, carbon capture, and soil health, not to mention adding a little natural beauty. 

Most recently, Trees4Trees has been busy planting urban forests in industrial areas like GIIC in Bekasi, KIIC in Karawang, and Bogor. 

It takes a village: Working together with partners 

In all our replanting operations, we collaborate with lots of different companies and organizations to get the job done. Each of these events helps deliver sustainable impacts to different areas, from cultural and historical sites to industrial regions, villages, farmland, and watersheds.  

Every project is a team effort. By involving staff, partners, and clients as tree-planter volunteers, and teaming them up with local communities of growers and farmers, we’re helping create new networks.  

Whether developing skills, sharing stories, or simply making new friends, the Trees4Trees planting season continues to expand its impact. Everyone involved is ready to take the next step on this journey, together.