‘My motivation to be a part of the patrol team is to protect the proboscis monkeys in my village.’

Mangrove and peat swamp forests make up over half of the area of the West Bornean coastal village Mengkalang Jambu. This adds up to less than 3,000 ha, yet community-led SMART patrols record the majority of the proboscis monkey encounters across Kubu Raya district here. Over the past five years, four SMART patrol teams in the district travelled a total of 5,118 km, the equivalent of the distance between Dublin and New York. In the past, these monkeys were seen as pests in certain areas, but with numbers plummeting every year, they became a symbol of pride and diversity in the region.

Aurore MaxeyNovember 14, 2025Proboscis monkeys, bekantan, Wildlife protection, mangrove ecosystem, endangered species, Community-based conservation, women-led, women in conservation, Local Leadership, local stewardship, inclusive governance, community governance, Village-level regulation, Sustainable livelihoods, forest and fisheries management, sustainable livelihoodsComment

Introducing Aliansi Bumi Kita: Uniting Communities for Conservation and Resilience

At Planet Indonesia, we believe that effective and lasting conservation begins with people who have been the guardians of their lands for generations. It starts with the communities whose traditions are interwoven with the forests, rivers, and oceans they call home. That’s why we’re excited to introduce Aliansi Bumi Kita (Our Earth Alliance), a dynamic coalition of grassroots organizations, Indigenous communities, and civil society groups across Indonesia, united by a shared mission of social and environmental transformation.

Aurore MaxeyDecember 18, 2024Aliansi Bumi Kita, community-led, conservation, grassroots movements, Indigenous communities, sustainable development, environmental impact, social justice, Local LeadershipComment

Harnessing Place-based Expertise in a Growing Team: Introducing Planet Indonesia’s Fieldnote System

This year’s UN biodiversity conference (COP16) achieved important progress in recognizing and expanding the crucial roles of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), reflecting a growing agreement in the global conservation community about the need for inclusive and equitable approaches. Centering IPLCs and social justice is especially necessary now, as conservation is being scaled up to address the magnitude of the threats to biodiversity.

Aurore MaxeyDecember 2, 2024Fieldnotes, community conservation, conservation innovation, biodiversity, protection, sustainable development, Indigenous communities, Local Leadership, storytelling, inclusive conservationComment

Want a Reality Check? Talk to the Opt-Outers

At Planet Indonesia, we pride ourselves on advancing community-led initiatives across social-environmental dimensions. It’s in our DNA, our core model, and our impact hinges upon this value, that communities must have ownership of the process of identifying and realizing solutions.

Aurore MaxeySeptember 23, 2024Community Governance, Conservation Challenges, Local Leadership, Social-Environmental Initiatives, Community Engagement, Opt-Out Behavior, Village Forest Management, Data Justice, Conservation Strategy, Community-Led Initiatives, Climate and Conservation, Socio-Economic BarriersComment

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