It’s a long way from Sumatra to Mullumbimby, but Panut Hadisiswoyo has made the trip five times, all in the name of saving the Sumatran orangutan and to do what he needs to protect and nourish their habitat: the rainforest.
Hadisiswoyo established the Orangutan Information Centre (OIC) in 2001, solely as an information centre for orangutans.
The NGO has now expanded their work and developed various projects dedicated to the protection of forest and wildlife conservation, as well as introducing sustainable agricultural practice.
Local bloke and Gondwana Rainforest Trust founder, Kelvin Davies, visited Sumatra in 2008, began supporting the OIC and, with his volunteers, has an ongoing relationship. This includes a skills exchange and interaction between people from the Byron Shire and North Sumatra.
As Panut was in Brisbane last week for the International Congress for Conservation Biology 2025, it was only natural that he would catch up with his Northern Rivers friends before heading home.
Residents of Byron Shire have made a huge contribution to the Sumatran cause, with not only information, but also fundraising and networking.
Introductions
‘Introducing us to many people in Australia has been very important,’ says Hadisiswoyo.
‘The results are that we’ve planted almost four million trees and millions more have naturally regenerated.’
Contributions have been made by many people from the Byron Shire, including Alice Moffett, who spent a year volunteering in Sumatra.
Skills exchange
Hadisiswoyo says he is grateful and that information and skills he has gained through the exchange have been invaluable.
‘In the beginning, we replanted degraded habitat. But without having a proper knowledge and skills to understand how to restore, we were just planting trees with no understanding of the principles of natural regeneration’.
‘Then, we met Kelvin and Alice, and we had a kind of eye opening. Now we have very good insight around how to do it properly.’
Anyone can make a tax-deductible donation to support the work of the Gondwana Rainforest Trust by visiting www.GondwanaRainforestTrust.org.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
