What We Do

• Orangutans Rehabilitation and Reintroduction

The BOSF implemented program was scientifically developed by Dr. Herman Rijksen. Being the only reintroduction program recognized by the Indonesian government, the reintroduction programs run by BOSF today are the Central Kalimantan Orangutan Reintroduction Program at Nyaru Menteng and the East Kalimantan Orangutan Reintroduction Program at Samboja Lestari.

• Natural Habitat Rehabilitation and Protection

The BOSF realizes that there is no future for the orangutan without the protection of their habitat. The BOSF also carries out rehabilitation and habitat protection by managing the forest natural resources. The purpose of this program is not only to rehabilitate critical land or to protect forest areas, but also to empower the community living around the forest so they can change their lifestyles into more sustainable as well as economic without creating negative impact towards the environment. The BOSF keeps trying to find the best and most creative solutions for humans to live in harmony with nature. The BOSF has two programs in this matter, Samboja Lestari Land Rehabilitation Program at East Kalimantan, and Mawas Area Conservation Program at Central Kalimantan.

• Information, Education, and Community Empowerment

BOSF actively conducts regular ativities regarding natural education program, and  information spread on BOSF’s vision, mission, and programs. We also spread press releases to local and national medias, conduct visit to school and communities living around BOSF’s facilities, campaign to elevate community’s awareness, organize events, expos, workshops, merchandise development, and teachers’ training in order to improve the knowledge of conservation of orangutan and their habitat. Education is a very powerful tool in building relationship with the community, especially with those who have yet to understand the basic knowledge about the important conservation of wild animals and their habitat. For BOSF, education to the young generation and community commitment plays a key role in animal and natural conservation. Improving various activities to strengthen the capacity and economic development of the community through proper and sustainable natural resources, organization, and management is one of the many strategies to minimize pressure towards conservation areas, so the people could also benefit from the forest in a more responsible way.

BOS Foundation has four programs located in East and Central Kalimantan. Those programs represent the three main focuses of the BOSF, involving the support and participation of the community surrounding the area as well.
Orangutan Rehabilitation and dan Reintroduction

• East Kalimantan Orangutan Reintroduction Program at Samboja Lestari

In operation since 1991, the East Kalimantan program at Samboja Lestari has been rehabilitating 943 orangutans until March 2010. The orangutans coming in are confiscated or handed over by the villagers. All of the orangutans have to pass reintroduction programs consisting of quarantine period, forest school, pre-release area, and then will finally be released. At the East Kalimantan program, BOSF has orangutan islands built for isolating sick and handicapped orangutans, preventing them from infecting and influencing others, thus giving them extra space to learn and play out in the open.
Central Kalimantan Orangutan Reintroduction Program at Nyaru Menteng.

After the devastating forest fire of 1999, the BOS Foundation set up an Orangutan Re-introduction Program in Nyaru Menteng, Central Kalimantan. Ever since that day, there has been 609 orangutans in rehabilitation in Nyaru Menteng. Orangutans in Nyaru Menteng are the result of the BOS Foundation’s rescue team’s efforts in Central Kalimantan. The activities in Nyaru Mentend do not differ greatly from PROKT-SL, except for monitoring, evaluation, and the orangutan rescue course. There is also an occasional fire drill in anticipation for any forest fires in the area.
Natural Habitat Rehabilitation and Protection

• Samboja Lestari Land Rehabilitation Program at East Kalimantan

Samboja Lestari is a reforestation program in a critical land. The main purpose of the program is to provide proper and ideal forest to sustain wild animals including orangutan. With 1,850 hectares of land, Samboja Lestari also works co-operatively with the BOSF branch in Germany in the ‘square meter’ program (www.createrainforest.org). All of the activities in Samboja Lestari are fully supported by local communities in the form of various activities, starting from seeding, planting, compost producing, organic garden, up to arboretum.

• Mawas Area Conservation Program at Central Kalimantan

Mawas area Conservation Program is a conservation program of orangutan and its habitat by improving community’s welfare around the forest. With 309,000 hectares of land, this area is rich with carbon deposit. The 3-Gigatons-biomass carbon deposit makes the Mawas area in need of conservation for its hydrology and regional climate role, as well as its valuable resources for the surrounding communities. This area also sustains the life of at least 3000 orangutans.