Join forces with us as we plant 20,000 trees, working to restore and protect the Sumatran rainforest.
#maketherainforestwhole
SOS is on a mission to protect and secure the future of Sumatran orangutans, the critically endangered inhabitants of the fragile rainforests of Sumatra.
Known as the gardeners of the forest, orangutans play a vital role in seed dispersal and maintaining the health of the forest ecosystem. This in turn maintains biodiversity, ensuring that every living thing, from the largest mammals to the smallest plants, can thrive as it should.
SOS and its partners are having a real impact: their community-powered conservation programmes have reached 18,000 local people, planting over 2 million trees and rescuing more than 200 orangutans.
As we prepare the land for planting, we build tree nurseries and train the local people. We start by planting fast-growing ‘pioneer’ species, such as sungkai and marak, which provide shade for slower-growing trees from extreme heat, and fallen leaves providing richer soil in which to take root.
We plant hardwood and fruiting trees, remove weeds and add organic compost, nurturing the young seedlings. Birds start to return to the area, speeding up the natural regeneration and increasing the diversity of the new forest by ‘planting’ seeds in their droppings.
By now the pioneer species planted in year 1 are creating a forest canopy, shading out weeds and creating the right microclimate for a rainforest to grow. Adding a mixture of additional tree species ensures that the new forest has good diversity – just like a natural rainforest.
Pioneer trees may be 9-10 metres tall, and hardwood and fruiting trees around 5-6 metres tall, providing a safe nesting spot for orangutans. Wildlife is returning to the area, including orangutans and elephants, and the once-barren landscape is buzzing with life!
With their knowhow and your support, we will push forward, continuing their crucial work re-planting the Forever Forest, which is just one of their many projects making a difference to orangutans and their habitat. If you’re interested to learn more about their work, you can visit their website.
Learn More
We are replanting and protecting the Sumatran rainforest and we want you to join us by planting a tree. Sign up now to become a Forever Forest Guardian.
With one click of your mouse (and zero cost) you’ll be rebuilding the rainforest and adding your voice to nature’s call to protect Sumatran orangutans and their incredible home.
Plant a TreeSince Whole Earth’s creation more than 50 years ago, we’ve held acting ethically at the core of everything we do. We care about our planet and we make sure that we do everything in our power to put it first, protecting and restoring the earth above all else.
It’s only natural that we find ourselves teaming up again with the phenomenal charity, Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) to re-wild and restore part of the Leuser Ecosystem in Sumatra, which is the last place on earth where orangutans, tigers, elephants and rhinos live together in the wild.
With SOS’s vast experience and understanding of orangutan habitats, we have embarked on a crucial replanting programme to create The Forever Forest, planting 20,000 trees to save the area’s wildlife and combat climate change.
Want to learn more? We’ve asked kids, our future guardians of the planet, to ask their burning questions about the importance of reforestation, with answers from Emma Vass, CEO of Whole Earth and SOS’s Helen Buckland.
To find out more about Whole Earth and sustainable palm oil, visit our Know Palm Oil Page.
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