Despite the COVID restrictions, 2021 has been a very successful year for the Rhino and Forest Fund. Thanks to our growing local team – now with two permanent employees in addition to the reforestation team – we were able to set an even higher standard for our work once again.
This way, we have been able to significantly expand our project areas and are constantly getting closer to realizing our vision of connecting the remaining wilderness areas of East Sabah.
with all remaining wilderness areas in East Sabah
Revenue and use of funds 2021
In 2021, we received approximately EUR 284,000 in donations and spent approximately EUR 180,000. By far, the most important donor in 2021 has once again been BOS Germany. More than 95% of the spent donations were directly used for afforestation measures (75%) as well as for the salaries and ancillary costs of the two project managers on site (20%). Currently, we are working on over 200 hectares.
By 2022, these will be expanded to at least 600 hectares.
Two new project areas were added in 2021
Since mid-2021, we are now also active in the Silabukan Forest Reserve, located in the south of Tabin, where we are restoring illegal plantations within the protected area and thus have already been able to stop the unhindered deforestation in the eastern part. We also hope to start a new wildlife corridor project between Tabin and Silabukan this year.
the Silabukan Forest Reserve.
Center: Only one day after their discovery by the RFF, the freshly planted oil palms were destroyed by staff of the forest authorities we informed.
Right: The illegal planters have meanwhile given up and are obviously withdrawing from the protected area.
Right: The area has already been planted with new saplings in early September 2021 (Block 2C).
At the end of 2021, we further started to free overgrown trees in afforestation areas of the Bukit Piton Forest Reserve that had been abandoned too early by other organizations and began working on the creation of local wildlife oases.
This includes building small lakes flanked by pastures for elephants and other large herbivores as well as planting numerous trees in high density and variety in selected unforested areas.
In 2022, we are also planning further land purchases again. Among other things, we are planning to buy a wooded peninsula threatened by deforestation (pictured above) in the heart of the Tabin-Kulamba corridor area to integrate it into the existing reserves. The negotiations for this are already in progress.
Thank you very much for your support so far and in the future!
Robert Risch, February 2022
