Reforesting the island of Flores to ensure a common future
In the heart of Indonesia, the largest archipelago in the world, and on the edge of Komodo National Park, the island of Flores is home to just under 2 million inhabitants. Its indigenous communities depend on their environment to live, using agricultural practices that are increasingly predatory upon natural resources.
A forest going up in smoke
On the slopes of its dormant volcanoes, the island of Flores is home to one of the only tropical dry forests in the world. Covering barely 2% of the planet’s surface, these unique ecosystems are threatened in more ways than one. On Flores, like most other regions, agriculture poses the greatest threat. In order to clear more and more land and make way for crops, farmers deploy an often-poorly-controlled slash and burn approach, which can see hectares of forest go up in smoke in just a few hours.
To transform this fate into a sustainable future, Cœur de Forêt has chosen to tackle the causes of deforestation, by broadening the range of economic solutions for the communities and establishing new relationships with the environment.
Ces constats forment la boussole du programme mené par Cœur de Forêt, qui vise autant
la restauration des milieux que la transmission de gestes utiles au quotidien.
Diagnosis of the biodiversity and land use practices on the island of Flores
To better understand the farmers’ relationship to their environment and their needs – in order to propose locally adapted solutions – it was essential to carry out an assessment of the island’s biodiversity and ancestral practices.
An initial forest diagnosis, conducted in 2022, revealed the presence of 350 plant species, some of which have never been observed on the island, including Morinda coreia, Lipoblepharis urticifolia and Marsdenia tinctoria, as well as others classified as critically endangered by the IUCN, like Pterocarpus indicus. More worryingly, the study also revealed the absence or accelerated disappearance of endemic species such as oud wood (Gyrinops versteegii) and the Indonesian cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum burmanni), both victims of overexploitation.
Later, an assessment of land use conducted in 2023 highlighted agropastoral tillage systems and practices.
Agroforesterie : remettre les plantes utiles dans les parcelles
Autour des maisons comme dans les champs, les familles enrichissent leurs parcelles en associant arbres, cultures vivrières, plantes médicinales et aromatiques. Trois espèces jouent à Florès un rôle moteur : le galanga (appelé laza), la vanille et le patchouli. Faciles à intégrer, elles aident à couvrir le sol, nourrissent la vie microbienne, diversifient les récoltes et réduisent la pression sur la forêt primaire. L’agroforesterie devient ainsi un outil de régénération mais aussi de transmission : chaque plant restaure un peu plus une histoire locale dans le paysage.
L'agroforesterie consiste en la cohabitation mutuellement bénéfique de plantations d'arbres et d'exploitations agricoles sur des parcelles communes.
Les espèces d'arbres choisies sont sélectionnées notamment pour leur capacité à protéger les ressources en eau ou à résister au feu (Piliostigma malabaricum, Cassia fistula, Istonia scholaris, Lannea coromandelica et Gliricida sepium). Ces arbres favorisent le maintien de la biodiversité nécessaire à la protection et au développement des cultures. Ils jouent aussi un rôle important dans le bon état du cycle de l'eau, aident à fixer les sols et à en améliorer la fertilité.
New income opportunities in sustainable Galangal growing
For the forest to be long-lasting, one of the keys is to be able to make a living from it. Because if a living can be made from it, then communities will be motivated to make it grow and prosper rather than to deforest and replace it with spaces dedicated to other activities. This is a key step in the programme: to explore the development of a new sector of activity, associated with the cultivation of Alpinia Galanga.
With the sustainable production and use of this resource – still untapped on the island – a whole new business opportunity emerges. And with it, new income streams, but also new prospects for the next generations who will find opportunities to stay on the island rather than have to leave it.
Developing new income-generating industries by introducing medicinal plant growing
To diversify their sources of income, family farms are also being supported in their evolution towards agroecology through the introduction of medicinal plant crops such as vanilla, patchouli, or galangal. Devised jointly with producers and farmers, these new opportunities will enable the growth of ethical local industries, ensuring both the future of the communities and the preservation of biodiversity.
Découvrez ci-dessus le témoignage vidéo de Laurencius Nende, un «ancien » de Florès.
L’usage des plantes médicinales peut présenter des risques. Les usages traditionnels ne valent pas promesse thérapeutique. Avant tout usage personnel, demandez conseil à un professionnel de santé.
Raising awareness among village communities and schools for a more sustainable future
The future of the island also depends on today’s children. What could be better than passing on to them the desire to protect biodiversity from an early age? The programme on the island of Flores offers 120 students the opportunity to participate in workshops organised by the Puge Figo association, a local branch of Cœur de Forêt.
To cement this process, awareness-raising begins in childhood with the creation of 200 herbariums and educational materials. It then continues through adulthood thanks to feedback on forest and agrarian diagnostics carried out by the local branch, thus ensuring valuable transmission of knowledge.
Developing new income-generating industries by introducing medicinal plant growing
To diversify their sources of income, family farms are also being supported in their evolution towards agroecology through the introduction of medicinal plant crops such as vanilla, patchouli, or galangal. Devised jointly with producers and farmers, these new opportunities will enable the growth of ethical local industries, ensuring both the future of the communities and the preservation of biodiversity.
arbres plantés en agroforesterie et aux abords des sources d’eau, composés d’au moins 10 espèces
pépinières de plantes médicinales constituées, mobilisant 35 villageois par an
écoliers sensibilisés aux plantes locales et à leurs usages
exploitations agricoles familiales formées aux techniques de l’agroécologie
Le Galanga
(Alpinia galanga, “laza”)
Rhizome aromatique au parfum camphré-poivré, cultivé dans les jardins et forêts secondaires, traditionnellement associé au confort digestif et très présent en cuisine.
La Cannelle d’Indonésie
(Cinnamomum burmannii)
Grande lauracée d’altitude dont l’écorce, en bâtons ou en poudre, parfume plats et boissons, et soulage traditionnellement les voies respiratoires et les articulations
Le Gingembre
(Zingiber officinale)
Rhizome
aux notes
citronnées-piquantes
réputé pour le
confort digestif
et en cuisine.
Ces informations relèvent des usages traditionnels et ne constituent pas un avis médical. Demandez toujours l’avis d’un professionnel de santé.
Partner
Since 2015, Cœur de Forêt has been advocating for environmental and social justice by reshaping the precious balance between forests and humans. In France, Indonesia, Bolivia and Madagascar, it works hand in hand with local communities, launches sustainable management solutions for agricultural and forest ecosystems and kick-starts educational and collaborative processes to give back the power to humans to act and protect their environment.
Pour aller plus loin
Parcourez notre page “Plantes médicinales” pour découvrir d’autres espèces emblématiques, des vidéos et l’ensemble de nos projets liés à la transmission des savoirs ancestraux.
