The Orangutan Information Centre led this restoration project, planting over 500,000 native trees — about 1,000 per hectare.
Sumatra, Indonesia – What was once a massive palm oil plantation in northern Sumatra is now functioning rainforest again. Camera traps have captured tigers and orangutans, and fresh elephant footprints mark the forest floor—evidence of wildlife returning to a landscape the Orangutan Information Centre (OIC) has helped bring back to life.
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
A First at Scale
This is the first documented success of converting an industrial palm plantation back into rainforest at this scale. The OIC’s restoration has transformed 500 hectares of degraded land into a living forest, underscoring a simple truth: with commitment, nature can heal—and every tree planted is an act of hope.
Location: Northern Sumatra, within the Leuser Ecosystem.
Goal: Restore land illegally cleared for palm oil and rebuild rainforest capable of sustaining wildlife and local livelihoods.
Goal: Restore land illegally cleared for palm oil and rebuild rainforest capable of sustaining wildlife and local livelihoods.
The OIC has planted over 500,000 native trees—about 1,000 per hectare—to re-establish a diverse, functioning ecosystem. The return of orangutans, tigers, and elephants signals a recovering habitat and a resilient forest structure.
Partnerships and People
Working alongside partners including the Sumatran Orangutan Society, the OIC’s effort extends beyond tree planting. The organization empowers local communities through alternative job opportunities in sustainable agriculture and direct involvement in conservation, aligning ecological recovery with social well-being.
This restoration project demonstrates that orangutan habitat protection and forest regeneration can succeed even on land once dominated by industrial agriculture. It offers a model for rainforest restoration in palm oil landscapes and a pathway for communities to thrive alongside a recovering Leuser Ecosystem.
