By Lia Syafitri and Rodiansyah | Technical Leads
In the first of its kind, rangers from 25 patrol teams from across West Kalimantan travelled to the capital of Pontianak to participate in the Boreno Ranger Conference. Celebrating their achievements and sharing their knowledge in a landmark forum.
A pair of Helmeted Hornbills cuts across the sky above the green expanse of Borneo’s rainforest. In coastal waters, fish and crabs thrive beneath dense mangroves, while sea turtles return to sandy shores to lay their eggs, securing the continuity of life for future generations. These moments, often unseen, are signs of healthy functioning ecosystems.
If we look closer, we find the people who make this possible. Moving quietly through forests, along rivers, and across coastal waters, community patrol teams observe, document, and protect wildlife and their habitats. They are the Borneo Rangers, community members standing on the frontline of conservation in West Kalimantan.
Since 2018, Planet Indonesia has partnered with communities to conduct SMART Patrols, a community-based monitoring approach grounded in data and local stewardship. This programme forms a core pillar of efforts to protect six priority species groups in West Kalimantan: Horbills, most importantly the Helmeted Hornbill, the Sunda Pangolin, Sea turtles, Bornean Orangutans, gibbons and proboscis monkeys.
Each month, patrol teams leave their villages to trek and monitor for 7–10 days across forest and coastal areas in demanding conditions. These collective efforts are why hornbills still fly, turtles continue to nest, and coastal waters remain full. They are not only rangers, but parents, young people, women, and men who choose to spend long days and nights protecting the places their communities depend on.
The conference was created to recognise and celebrate their commitment and efforts that often go unnoticed as they work quietly with discipline. In each place, they operate at the line between destruction and protection.
During the conference, awards were presented to eight patrol teams that recorded increased wildlife encounter rates. The awards reflect consistent monitoring and reporting. Rangers remain active on the frontline of habitat and wildlife protection. Patrol teams continue to strengthen data collection and improve patrol quality. The information recorded through these efforts supports accurate biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning.
“Especially for us as Dayak communities, where we live very close to nature. I used to enter the forest carrying a weapon, but now I carry a camera. I am different now, from hunter to guardian. Working together to protect wildlife in their forest habitats,” Antonius Edi, a ranger from Bengkayang shared.
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