Health in Harmony
Health In Harmony is an international nonprofit whose mission is to reverse tropical rainforest deforestation for planetary health. Health In Harmony was founded by Dr. Kinari Webb who founded Health In Harmony in 2005 to support combined human and environmental work. Kinari also co-founded Alam Sehat Lestari (ASRI) with Drg. Hotlin Ompusunggu and Antonia Gorog. Health In Harmony and ASRI operate planting programs in and around Gunung Palung National Park, in Indonesian Borneo. Health In Harmony is completely guided by what communities identify as the drivers of, and solutions for, deforestation. The projects that the communities design are focused on connecting human health care services with environmental programs such as reforestation, deforestation monitoring, and entrepreneurship development. All of their projects are rooted in their guiding principles; all life on Earth is precious, diversity is a strength, and by working together we can find solutions to the crises that face our planet.
Borneo: Pristine Peat Swamp Forests
LOCATION: GUNUNG PALUNG NATIONAL PARK IN THE GUNUNG MENTUBAND AREA, LOCATED IN INDONESIAN BORNEO
PLANTING PARTNER: HEALTH IN HARMONY
IMAGE CREDIT: HEALTH IN HARMONY
The new planting project will be reforesting over 50 hectares of the outer fringes of pristine peat swamp forests of Gunung Palung National Park in the Gunung Mentubang area, located in Indonesian Borneo. The park is home to a nearly complete inventory of all of Borneo's fauna, including many rare, protected and/or endemic species. It is a critical habitat for approximately 2,500 orangutans from the 54,000 (approximate) remaining orangutans in Borneo. In addition to the incredibly biodiverse and a massive carbon sink, the park also contains the headwaters to the region’s main source of drinking water.
Through this partnership, we aim to plant at least of 34,100 trees per year and for five years. The trees planted will be a strategic combination of native trees - 90% will be peat swamp species, mostly endangered or critically-endangered dipterocarps. 10% will be local varieties of native fruit tree planted on harder soil next to the river. These will provide food for communities and wildlife.
