Satellite imagery shows PT Equator Sumber Rezeki expanding its palm oil operations by clearing more than 3,000 hectares of forest in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province. This destruction targets a vital wildlife corridor within the Betung Kerihun–Danau Sentarum UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, home to critically endangered Bornean orangutans. Government officials confirmed orangutan presence in the concession area but opted for voluntary measures over halting the activity.
Deforestation Accelerates in Protected Zone
Deforestation Accelerates in Protected Zone (Image Credits: Pexels)
PT Equator Sumber Rezeki, a subsidiary of the First Borneo Group, operates a 15,000-hectare concession in Kapuas Hulu district. The company cleared 3,063 hectares of forest in 2025 alone, according to analysis by the Indonesian nonprofit Satya Bumi. This marked a sharp increase from the 195 hectares removed in previous years.
Clearing spiked to 1,376 hectares between January and August 2025, followed by another 1,492 hectares from October to December. The concession overlaps the Labian–Leboyan watershed, which links Betung Kerihun and Danau Sentarum national parks. Environmental groups noted that nearly 80% of the area holds high conservation value.
Orangutan Habitat Faces Dire Threat
A 2016 study identified 1,892 hectares of the cleared land as orangutan habitat, part of nearly 4,000 hectares within the concession. Field surveys by LinkAR Borneo detected at least 10 orangutan nests in the Labian village area. The watershed supports an estimated 2,470 Bornean orangutans, while the global population has dwindled to 104,700 from 200,000 in 1999.
Primate researcher Wanda Kuswanda of Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency emphasized the corridor’s role. “The key is that the wider the corridor, the greater the potential to strengthen orangutan populations,” she stated. Beyond orangutans, the forests sustain sun bears, hornbills, and giant rafflesia flowers.
Indigenous Dayak Communities in Conflict
Five Dayak Iban villages – Senunuk, Setulang, Labian, Labian Ira’ang, and Mensiau – overlap the concession. Residents reported wildlife like bears and orangutans encroaching on villages as forests vanished. In Labian and Labian Ira’ang, communities rejected company proposals, citing lack of prior consultation.
Dayak elder Banying from Setulang observed increased animal sightings near homes. Bernadus Nandung, a hamlet head in Labian, warned of lost resources for food, medicine, and traditions. “If the forest is destroyed, it’s we who suffer,” he said.
- Forests provide springs for water, rattan for crafts, and wood for coffins.
- Some land deals involved individual leases amid community opposition, leading to annulled agreements.
- ESR offered payments of 3.5 million rupiah per hectare, jobs, and future land return.
- Customary forests remain underrecognized, with only 332,500 hectares acknowledged nationally.
Permits and Oversight Draw Scrutiny
The Ministry of Forestry learned of the clearing via a September 2025 Mongabay post and verified orangutan habitat through park inspections. Officials proposed designating habitat pockets as high conservation value areas, a voluntary step requiring company consent. ESR holds a plantation business license but awaits full right-to-cultivate permits, with part listed in January 2026.
Satya Bumi campaigner Riezcy Cecilia Dewi criticized the approach. “Without firm action to stop deforestation and protect orangutan habitat, Indonesia’s commitment to biodiversity protection… will continue to be questioned,” she said. LinkAR Borneo highlighted undeclared peatlands deeper than 2 meters.
| Period | Hectares Cleared |
|---|---|
| Pre-2025 | 195 |
| Jan-Aug 2025 | 1,376 |
| Oct-Dec 2025 | 1,492 |
| Total 2025 | 3,063 |
Supply Chain Risks Exposed
First Borneo sells fruit bunches to distant mills, up to 350 kilometers away, potentially tainting global supply chains. Mighty Earth described the group as a “leakage actor,” with some mills halting purchases after complaints. Traders like GAR and Wilmar initiated reviews.
Ahmad Syukri of LinkAR Borneo stressed broader impacts. “This is not just about trees being cut down. It’s about the survival of communities,” he noted.
Key Takeaways
- Over 3,000 hectares cleared in 2025, much in confirmed orangutan habitat.
- Government favors voluntary HCV over mandatory protections.
- Indigenous opposition grows amid land disputes and wildlife shifts.
The persistent clearing underscores enforcement gaps in biodiversity hotspots. Stronger permit oversight and supply chain accountability could safeguard Borneo’s irreplaceable ecosystems. What steps should authorities take next? Tell us in the comments.
