OFI buying forest from happy local man
Mr. Freddy, a local businessperson from the province of Kalimantan Tengah, flew to Jakarta so that he could immediately receive the funds for 20 ha. of forest that he agreed to sell OFI. Otherwise, the forest would have been cleared for palm oil and lost forever to a relic population of about 50 – 100 wild orangutans just barely hanging on by the skin of their teeth in a mixed area of peatswamp forest, dry ground forest and cleared land near Pangkalan Bun.
This forest will be ours in perpetuity. Twenty hectares (approximately 50 acres) may not seem like much but for the birds and mammals who live there, it will be like a universe saved!
Mr. Freddy charged the same price for the forest that he ws planning to charge a palm oil concession but he admits that he feels better about being able to save the forest!
Scientist, conservationist, educator: for almost four decades Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas has studied and worked closely with the orangutans of Indonesian Borneo in their natural habitat, and is today the world’s foremost authority on the orangutan.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Hello Dr. Galdikas,
I like the fact that you blog. Wonderful news that Mr.Freddy is selling OFI 20 ha. of forest! I have been reading Janie Dubman’s articles in the Vancouver Sun about her volunteer experiences with orangutans. I was Janie and Vino’s partner (on mountain gorillas) in your course last Fall at SFU. I hope we meet again.
Best Wishes.
Cherri McGarvie
July 1st, 2009 at 1:11 am
Hello Professor,
It is wonderful news that Mr Freddy is selling the land to the Foundation. I think it is such a good thing when a local does something like this, it is far better that the land is saved rather than used for yet another Plam Oil Plantation.
I have been to Borneo on 3 occasions now, and I have seen the situation with my own eyes. I just wish more people would help.
I actually met you on a couple of occasions, last year, I was part of the volunteer programme for OFUK, and again very briefly at the airport at PKB, I was just leaving having spent 2 months living with Abdi in Pasir Panjang.
I am hoping to return again soon. I feel like Indonesia/ Borneo is my second home now.
Maybe I will see you again then.
I would just like to say I think what you have achieved is amazing, and I hope that this success continues. Thank you for everything that you do.
Lesley Bangle