Planet Indonesia

Calling Time on the “Waterfall”: Why Funding for Indonesian CSOs Must Shift from Transactional to Relational “Funding often starts as a waterfall, strong and abundant at its source, but as it moves through multiple layers, it gradually diminishes. By the time it reaches local organizations like ours, only a few drops remain.” Subnational CSO based in Eastern Indonesia. Our new report with Menjadi draws on 24 survey responses and 19 in-depth interviews to spotlight the real challenges CSOs face: - 75% lack sufficient core/overhead support - 71% rely on short-term, project-based funds - 63% report resources too limited to meet their mission These are not just numbers. They reflect a system that treats local CSOs as subcontractors, not equal partners. At Planet Indonesia, we know conservation endures only when communities lead. 👉 Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gARAntaP

Hey, I will be in town again for NYC Climate Week with Planet Indonesia and cohosting an event on the Tuesday. 🌏 Unwind for the Earth: An Evening of Relaxed Climate Conversation  📅 Tuesday, September 23  ⏳ 5:00–7:00 PM  📍 Home Studios, 873 Broadway Co-hosts: Health In Harmony, Rights and Resources Initiative, and Planet Indonesia In the rush of panels and meetings, it can be hard to find space for open, unhurried conversations. This evening is designed to do just that, a chance to pause, connect, and reflect together on the work ahead. We’ll be bringing together people from across the climate and conservation community to share ideas, experiences, and energy in a more informal setting. We are hoping to create space to build real connections that help us collaborate better and carry forward concrete objectives as a collective. Please reply if you are interested in attending.  A formal invite will be sent in due time. 

What does community-led conservation look like on the ground? This year, 52 men and women are trekking over 4,300 kilometers through cliffs, groves, and ancestral trails, rain or shine, month after month. Planet Indonesia works alongside 10 SMART patrol teams in Gunung Nyiut and Gunung Naning. Together, they have monitored 74,426 hectares of high-biodiversity forest, removed 377 wildlife snares, and recorded threats including hunting, logging, and encroachment. Overall, these threats have dropped by 78% since baseline! These patrols reflect years of collaboration, trust-building, and shared commitment. “Showing up matters" and reflects a steady presence, listening, and learning together. Some patrol zones could not be accessed this year because of extreme terrain or pending permits, and there are still data gaps. Open evaluation sessions, feedback with government partners, and honest reflection continue to guide how we adapt. One highlight was the protection of two helmeted hornbill nests, with two chicks successfully hatching and fledging, an encouraging moment for this critically endangered species. Conservation is not a quick fix. It grows from steady steps, consistent relationships, and shared stewardship. #TrustImpact #CommunityPatrols #ConservationWorks #HealthyTropicalEcosystems #StoryFromTheField

We’re excited to see the findings from From Transactional to Relational, a report co-developed by Planet Indonesia and Menjadi, in collaboration with Saraswati, come to life at LAKSMI Talks #8. Join this discussion on the future of funding intermediaries in Indonesia and how we can build partnerships rooted in trust, equity, and local leadership. 📅 Thursday, August 14, 2025 | 🕗 08:15–09:45 WIB 💬 In Bahasa Indonesia | 📍 Online via Zoom 🔗 Register: https://lnkd.in/gD3WuURa 📖 Read the summary: https://lnkd.in/gARAntaP Let’s reflect together on what it truly means to move from transactional to relational funding. #LAKSMITalks #LocallyLed #CommunityLeadership #Menjadi #Saraswati

How do we keep listening radically to communities, especially in times of organizational growth? In a remote village in West Borneo, the rain poured down as we waited for the FGD participants to arrive. Slowly, one by one, women walked in, soaked, shy, but determined. Sixty voices came together that day, shaping a shared vision for the future. As Planet Indonesia expands to new regions, we’ve been reflecting on how to stay grounded in our values. With support from our partners at Legado, we evolved our radical listening process to better capture the complexity of what communities care about—clean water, education, cultural continuity, and more. This field reflection by Tess de Jongh shares how Radical Listening 2.0 is helping us deepen community-led governance in new places. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gmbUHdr5 #RadicalListening #CommunityLed #ThrivingFutures #Legado

Last month, a few of us from Planet Indonesia joined the International Congress for Conservation Biology (#ICCB2025) in Brisbane. It was a space to share, listen, and reflect — and we came home with a lot to think about. We shared what we’ve been working on — from Paul Hasan Thung’s reflections on community-led governance, to Živa Justinek’s analysis using AI to track deforestation, to Tess de Jongh’s work on who owns data and who defines success. Aurore Maxey spoke about communicating across audiences and how easily meaning can get lost in translation. We also listened — a lot. Some sessions offered new perspectives. Others put words to things we’ve felt in our work for a long time. Conversations around gender and inclusion reminded us to slow down and stay grounded in context. And some of the most meaningful insights came not during sessions, but in the conversations in between. Those reminded us that frameworks like GEDSI or participation don’t always mean the same thing everywhere, and that listening well sometimes means stepping back. We came home with more questions than answers. But also with a stronger sense that the kind of work we do — slow, relational, grounded in community leadership — is part of something larger, taking shape in conservation. Thanks to those who shared space with us, asked thoughtful questions, and helped us see our work in new ways. We’re grateful for the learning and for the chance to keep growing together. #ICCB2025 #CommunityLedConservation #ConservationScience 

𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 Getting clear, it's a muscle that needs training. In a sector like conservation, where dense language and jargon often replace meaningful explanation, clarity is one of the most powerful tools we have. As we at Planet Indonesia reflected on our work and refined our message. Our strategy became tighter. Our proposals became more grounded. And people started noticing. This wasn’t just about style. It was about substance. It showed us that clarity is what allows ideas to land. It’s what helps good work find support. Getting clear takes effort. It is a muscle. It must be used and built over time. At Planet Indonesia, we are still building it. We are still learning how to scale in ways that are ethical, effective, and rooted in community leadership. We are still navigating the tension between place-based work and broader influence. But we are doing it with more clarity. And that clarity came, in part, from tough questions, honest feedback, and shared learning.