indonesia

By Gary Bencheghib and Sam Bencheghib On August 14, we set out to kayak down the world’s most polluted river, the Citarum River located in Indonesia, to document and raise awareness about the highly toxic chemicals in its waters and the masses of plastics floating on its surface. We paddled a total of 68km in […]

By Emma Rae Lierley The Leuser Ecosystem on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia thrums with life. It is an ancient, 6.5 million acres of lush rainforest and steamy peat swamps, and because of its rich biodiversity, is one of the most important rainforests still standing today. Its clear rivers provide drinking water for millions […]

In a historic verdict in defense of forests and human rights, a court in Central Kalimantan has ordered the government of the Indonesian province to review the permits of palm oil companies associated with massive forest and peat land fires in 2015. The case against the government in Central Kalimantan was filed in 2016 by […]

By Diane Shohet Earlier this month, Indonesian officials sounded the alarm that “haze” from forest fires was making its way towards neighboring Malaysia and Singapore. Haze is a benign word for the toxic smog that swamps the region every year between August and October when smallholder farmers in Indonesia clear their old oil palm crops […]

Over a decade ago, Bird’s Head Seascape was just another example of the damage overfishing and destructive fishing practices can cause on coral reefs. But, the community stepped in, and the region is now thriving. Diver with Schooling Scads at Arborek Jetty.Photo credit: Jeff Yonover, Bird’s Head Seascape Valen’s Reef, a virtual reality movie shot […]