The rainforests are burning. Orangutans are losing their homes. Local communities are fighting to protect what remains. And the consequences will last long after the flames are gone.

Devastating fires are threatening Indonesia's tropical forests and peatlands, destroying vital habitats, endangering wildlife and putting local communities under immense pressure.

Borneo's rainforests are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth. They are home to critically endangered orangutans, countless other species and communities whose lives and livelihoods are closely connected to the forest.

As fires spread, habitats are damaged, food sources disappear and wildlife becomes increasingly vulnerable. Toxic smoke threatens human health, while local conservation teams work under extremely difficult conditions to protect the remaining forest.

Right now, these teams urgently need support. But stopping the fires is only the beginning.

When the fires stop, the fight for survival continues.

The consequences of forest fires don't disappear when the flames are extinguished.

Orangutans need safe habitats, natural food sources and connected forest landscapes to survive. Damaged forests need protection and time to regenerate. Local communities face the lasting consequences of smoke exposure, environmental degradation and the loss of natural resources.

We need to act now, while already preparing for the recovery that lies ahead.

This means supporting immediate fire response and forest protection while investing in long-term habitat recovery, biodiversity conservation and the resilience of local communities.

Why I started this fundraiser

Years ago, I spent an important part of my life studying wild orangutans at the Tuanan Research Station in Central Kalimantan, Borneo.

Living and working alongside local researchers and field assistants gave me firsthand experience of the extraordinary biodiversity of these forests and the dedication of the people protecting them.

Today, those forests and the communities working to protect them face enormous challenges.

I want to use my personal and professional network to help raise funds for the people working on the ground, both during the fire crisis and throughout the recovery that follows.

Supporting CORE Borneo

I am raising funds for CORE Borneo, a nonprofit organization led by my friend professor dr. Erin Vogel, dedicated to orangutan research, rainforest conservation and supporting local communities.

CORE Borneo works with local partners, including the forest management group KPHL, to protect vulnerable forest areas and support recovery efforts. Your contribition will go directly to the efforts in Borneo to stop the fire and start recovery.

Erin and her team have identified an urgent need for additional resources, including local teams to address fallen trees and damaged forest areas, as well as increased patrols to protect forests that have become more exposed and vulnerable.

Your donations will help CORE Borneo support:

Immediate fire response and forest protection: Supporting local efforts to protect threatened rainforest areas.

Orangutan habitat protection: Safeguarding the forests, natural food sources and ecological connections essential for orangutans and other wildlife.

Rainforest recovery: Supporting the protection, monitoring and restoration of damaged ecosystems.

Local conservation teams and communities: Providing resources for the people working to protect the forest and supporting the long-term health of the environments they depend on.

Long-term resilience: Helping protect recovering forests against further degradation and future threats.

This campaign is an invitation to friends, colleagues, researchers, conservationists and nature lovers around the world to contribute to the protection and recovery of Borneo's rainforests.

Every contribution, no matter how small, can help support the people working on the ground.

Please donate and share this campaign with your network.

Because saving a rainforest doesn't end when the flames go out.

When the fires stop, the fight for survival continues.

Thank you for your support!

Simone

Practor Natuurinclusief Leren