2017: Focusing on Community Relationships

RER employed 69 employees and 70 contracted rangers with 80% of the staff originating from the local community and/or Riau province. The RER program supported twenty families that harvest fish on the Serkap River to formalize a Fishing Group to ensure only sustainable fish harvest techniques were used. Additionally, RER began selling Madu Hutan Riau, a natural honey product provided by local collectors that climb 30-40 meters above the forest floor to harvest this natural bounty.

RER’s biodiversity monitoring and restoration work continued with camera trap monitoring and for the first time conducting the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) that counted 200 individuals comprised of seven different waterbird species.

RER also constructed 17 dams to close old drainage canals in order to maintain peat soil moisture and minimize subsidence during the dry season.