TUI Forest Borneo
On the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia, dense rainforests are home to countless species of plants and animals. Numerous national parks, including the Masoraian wetland in the southern Kalimantan region, have become tourist attractions, where visitors can see orangutans and Malayan sun bears.
However, these lush habitats are under threat, with activities such as wildlife poaching, illegal logging and land encroachment for private palm oil plantations (outside existing concessions made to companies) all putting their existence at risk.
In addition, areas along the Sekonyer River in the buffer zone of Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan have been heavily degraded due to land use change, illegal logging and gold mining, leading to deforestation, habitat fragmentation and declining water quality. As a critical riparian zone, this area plays a key role in maintaining ecological balance and ensuring connectivity between remaining forest fragments, making restoration urgent for both biodiversity and local communities.
TUI Forest Borneo protects and restores the Masoraian wetlands. Alongside a reforestation campaign, the project creates jobs and engages the local community to protect this location. A sustainable tourism experience also ensures the local population can improve their livelihoods whilst conserving the natural environment.
In January 2026, the project expanded activities to Sekonyer Village in the buffer zone of Tanjung Puting National Park, strengthening restoration efforts in a critical river landscape.
TUI Forest Borneo plants 200,000 trees solely from native local species in an area covering 125 hectares in the Masoraian wetland. The creation of 100 jobs for local people provides local employment, with training to handle all the steps in a reforestation process from seedling preparation, nursery management, land preparation and planting to monitoring and post-planting care. 800 volunteers and staff are involved in restoration activities, including tree planting, maintenance, and monitoring.
In the expanded project area, activities include restoring 400,000 m² of degraded land through the planting of additional 100,000 native trees and supporting site preparation, seedling sourcing from local communities and ongoing maintenance and monitoring. Additional employment and income opportunities are created through activities linked to reforestation, seedling provision and river maintenance, engaging around 45 local people directly in restoration and conservation work. During this restoration process, the habitat of at least eight endangered species will be protected, including the orangutan, proboscis monkey and the Malayan sun bear.
In the Sekonyer area, these efforts are complemented by forest patrols to reduce illegal logging and mining, wildlife monitoring using camera traps, and conservation education programmes for local students and communities to strengthen long-term stewardship of forest ecosystems.
The development of a tourism product involves visitors with the conservational efforts and provides additional sources of income for the local communities. Training is provided through the programme to local community members on hospitality, guiding and other skills required for ecotourism activities. In the new project location, these activities are further linked to river-based tourism, including wildlife observation and educational visits, building on existing ecolodges and boat tours along the Sekonye River and creating additional opportunities for local communities to benefit from sustainable tourism.
Through the expansion across both Masoraian and Sekonyer, TUI Forest Borneo strengthens ecosystem restoration, biodiversity protection and community engagement. By combining reforestation, conservation and tourism, the project contributes to the long-term protection of Borneo’s rainforest while supporting sustainable livelihoods for local communities.
Project Partner
Friends of Nature, People and Forests (FNPF)’s goal is sustainable conservation that balances the needs of Indonesia’s wildlife and environment, with the well-being of local communities. They are a grass roots, front-line, conservation organisation. Their founders and key staff members are Indonesian, primarily veterinarians and qualified environmental scientists. They understand the local culture, situation and challenges and work closely with local communities, customary and cultural groups, government, researchers, volunteers, and the global conservation community. They employ, educate and improve the wellbeing (social & economic) of the local communities in the vicinity of each project. Their mission is to develop and implement best management practices to reach the long-term goal of sustainable conservation by integrating local community wellbeing with the environment.
