Plant 1.000.000 Trees in Indonesia Damaged Forest

Dear Donors and Supporters,

We are pleased to share our mid-2026 progress update and to express our sincere gratitude for the generous support we have received through GlobalGiving.

To date, this project has raised more than $4,000 in donations. For a grassroots conservation initiative, this is a remarkable achievement. Every contribution has helped us take concrete steps toward restoring degraded forest landscapes in Java, Indonesia, while strengthening the communities who live alongside and depend on these landscapes.

Building a Community-Based Conservation Movement in Blora

Although this initiative is still in its early stages, it has already generated meaningful impact in Blora Regency, Central Java. To date, we have organized and engaged approximately 120 forest farmers in community-based conservation activities and sustainable land management.

These farmers are working together to restore degraded landscapes that were once forest areas and have gradually been converted into agricultural land. The challenge is not simply to plant trees, but to develop a model that can restore ecological functions while responding to the economic needs of local communities.

For this reason, our primary approach is agroforestry.

Agroforestry: Restoring Forests While Strengthening Livelihoods

Agroforestry allows communities to combine conservation trees with economically valuable crops within a diversified landscape. The approach can include native timber and conservation species, coffee, fruit trees, sugar palm, horticultural crops, and other plants that provide benefits at different stages of growth.

This model helps communities to:

• Restore vegetation and tree cover on degraded land;
• Reduce soil erosion and improve water retention;
• Diversify household income sources;
• Reduce dependence on monoculture farming;
• Strengthen biodiversity and ecological resilience; and
• Build stronger community participation in forest conservation.

We believe that conservation is more likely to succeed when communities have a meaningful economic stake in protecting and restoring their landscapes.

Our 2026 Target: 50 Hectares

Based on the current financial capacity of the project, our realistic target for 2026 is to develop approximately 50 hectares of agroforestry and conservation areas.

Funds raised through GlobalGiving are being allocated to key activities, including:

• Strengthening the capacity of forest farmers;
• Preparing and procuring high-quality conservation seedlings;
• Developing nursery activities;
• Supporting field planning and community coordination; and
• Providing other essential support for restoration activities.

Every contribution is being directed toward activities that can create long-term benefits for both communities and ecosystems.

Adapting to the Severe 2026 Dry Season

The year 2026 has presented significant challenges for conservation and restoration efforts. Severe and prolonged drought conditions have affected the timing and feasibility of planting activities in several areas, including our project locations in Blora and Bantul.

In response, we have adopted a more realistic and climate-adaptive approach. Rather than rushing to plant during unfavorable conditions, we are focusing our efforts during the middle of 2026 on the preparation of strong and healthy seedlings.

This preparation phase is essential. Seedlings need to be ready when suitable planting conditions return. Based on current seasonal expectations, distribution and planting activities are planned to begin around October 2026, when rainfall is expected to return to the project areas in Blora and Bantul.

By preparing seedlings in advance, we aim to make the most of the rainy season and improve the likelihood of successful establishment in the field.

How Can You Support Us?

The restoration of Indonesia’s forests is a long-term effort. It requires sustained commitment, community participation, and reliable resources.

Your support can help us:

Prepare and distribute more conservation seedlings
Expand agroforestry and forest restoration areas
‍ Strengthen the capacity of forest farmers
Support climate-adaptive restoration planning
Restore degraded landscapes in Java
Build stronger and more resilient forest communities

With your continued support, we can expand this initiative beyond its current reach and help more communities restore degraded landscapes while developing sustainable livelihoods.

Every donation helps us prepare more seedlings, support more farmers, and restore more forest landscapes.

Together, we can restore Indonesia’s forests—one seedling, one farmer, and one community at a time.

Thank you for standing with us.

With gratitude,

Yayasan INFEST

Dear Donors and Supporters,

We hope this update finds you well.

On behalf of everyone at Yayasan INFEST and the forest communities we work alongside, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your continued generosity and trust. Your support through GlobalGiving is making a meaningful difference in our efforts to restore Indonesia's forests while creating sustainable livelihoods for the people who depend on them.

To date, we have successfully raised USD 3,883 through this project. For a grassroots conservation initiative, this represents an incredible milestone. Every contribution, regardless of its size, has helped us move one step closer to restoring degraded forest landscapes across Java.

Although still in its early stages, the project has already begun creating meaningful impacts in Blora Regency, Central Java. We have organized and engaged 120 forest farmers who are now actively participating in community-based conservation initiatives. Together, we are transforming degraded former forest areas into productive and environmentally sustainable landscapes.

Our conservation strategy is centered on agroforestry—an approach that integrates forest restoration with sustainable agricultural production. Rather than planting trees alone, we develop diversified landscapes that combine native timber species, coffee, fruit trees, and other conservation plants. This model enables communities to improve their livelihoods while restoring ecological functions, protecting soil and water resources, and increasing biodiversity.

Alongside agroforestry development, we continue to strengthen community organizations through technical training, participatory planning, and sustainable land management practices. We believe that successful conservation depends on empowered local communities who have both the knowledge and the economic opportunities to protect their forests over the long term.

Based on the current financial capacity of the project, our realistic target for this year is to establish 50 hectares of community-based agroforestry and conservation areas. The funds raised so far are being invested in activities that create lasting impact, including community capacity building, nursery development, seedling production, procurement of conservation tree species, and field implementation support.

While we are proud of the progress achieved so far, we know that this is only the beginning. The need for forest restoration across Java remains enormous, and many communities are eager to adopt sustainable land management practices if adequate support is available.

Your continued partnership will allow us to expand these efforts, reach more forest communities, establish additional agroforestry landscapes, and restore larger areas of degraded forests. Every donation helps plant more trees, strengthen more livelihoods, and build more resilient ecosystems for future generations.

Together, we are proving that forest conservation is not only about protecting nature—it is about empowering people to become long-term guardians of their landscapes.

Thank you for believing in our vision and for walking this journey with us.

With sincere appreciation,

Yayasan INFEST