Accor plants trees around Glandang village and supports sustainable forest management
News
January 2009Since April 2008, 5 Indonesian hotels have been engaged
in the Plant for the Planet project. By inviting guests to reuse their towels, Novotel Benoa Bali, all seasons Legian Bali, (...)Progress report
- Some 2 hectares of land have been cleared and prepared for planting since April.
- 5,000 seeds will be germinated starting May. They will then be planted on the 2 hectares of land starting December.
Accor's commitment
The project is funded from the savings achieved in hotels in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore: every time a towel is re-used by a customer, the hotels pay 50% of the cleaning charge saved to the project in Indonesia.
The project
In partnership with the Yayasan Peduli Tunas Bangsa foundation, a program for sustainable and fair agroforestry has been put in place around Glandang village, in central Java.
98% of Indonesia's tropical forests could disappear within 15 years due to the illegal exploitation of rare woods and "poverty deforestation". A collaborative forest management has therefore been launched by the Yayasan Peduli Tunas Bangsa foundation, the Glandang village farmers' association, the Perum Perhutani forest company and CIRAD-CIFOR (a global scientific organization aimed at increasing the benefits of southern forests).
The goal is to reforest the surrounding land to create jobs, income and sustainable forest management. After 8 years, the trees are harvested and the income is split as follows:
- 40% for the Perum Perhutani company
- 30% for the village farmers
- 30% for the Yayasan Peduli Tunas Bangsa foundation, which reinvests it into local education programs
The planting
The state forest company Perum Perhutani makes government land available to the farmers. Grouped together in an association, these farmers provide the manual labor to work the land. Finally, the Yayasan Peduli Tunas Bangsa foundation pays for the plants through Accor.
Starting May, the farmers plant the seeds in nurseries. The trees are then transplanted onto the land in December, after more than 6 months spent in highly favorable growing conditions.
The planted species are extremely varied: teak and mindi wood, jarak and fruit trees, peanut, maize and rice.
The local benefits
This collaborative forest management creates jobs for around a hundred of villagers, and indirectly increases the incomes of more than 3,000 other inhabitants.
In addition, 30% of the income from forest operations is given to the Yayasan Peduli Tunas Bangsa foundation, which then uses it for a local education program involving 80 children between 10 and 16 ("A Tree For A Child").
Our NGO partner in Indonesia is the Yayasan Peduli Tunas Bangsa foundation
Yayasan Peduli Tunas Bangsa foundation
Founded in 2001 by Accor Indonesia employees, Yayasan Peduli Tunas Bangsa assigned itself the mission of helping the poorest children of Indonesia while contributing to the preservation of forests via the program "A Tree For A Child".
Already 140 children have access to 3 education centers created by Yayasan Peduli Tunas Bangsa (in Jakarta, Samarang and Bandung). These centers provide a clinic, sports field, libraries and classrooms. They also provide access to IT and English-language courses for the children.
In 2007, Yayasan Peduli Tunas Bangsa spent 130 million rupiah (8,500 euros) on buying and planting nearly 75,000 trees near the village of Glandang. This investment helps to create jobs, to share the income from wood sales and to help the more disadvantaged children to obtain schooling and healthcare.
Testimonials
This is a sustainable program that shows Accor’s commitment in alleviating poverty...
I am happy to make this Collaborative Forest Management Program into reality. It involves 150 farmers and their families and helps make their life meaningful. This is a sustainable program that shows Accor’s commitment in alleviating poverty and protecting environment.
Ade NOERWENDA, Accor HR Director for Indonesia/Malaysia and promoter of the foundation
a good program which is able to motivate the forest village community...
Sri Budi PRIVANTO, Village farmers' association leader
