Indonesia is the world’s third largest greenhouse gas (GHG) polluter, behind China and the United States, mainly due to the carbon dioxide emissions associated with deforestation. The island  of Nusa Penida, off the coast of Bali, was once thickly forested, but now retains only small tracts of primary forest, mainly around its ancient Hindu temple complexes.

The project to date has planted 2,566 bamboo seedlings on approximately 6.4 hectares. In addition, the project is supported by limited edition sterling silver John Hardy bamboo collection merchandise of the Wear Bamboo, Plant Bamboo program, where proceeds from each limited edition piece of beautifully hand-crafted jewelry pays for the planting of a certain number of bamboo seedlings on the island. The project may also expand its participating local base to include more farmers’ cooperatives and hence diversify and increase its arable land exposure.

The Friends of the National Parks Foundation (FNPF) provides expertise and experience in administering on-the-ground matters in Nusa Penida, including outreach to participating farmers’ cooperatives,

assisting in transportation logistics for shipments of bamboo seedlings from Bali to its nursery, and data tracking.

Bamboo seedlings of various species are transported by truck and ferry from Bali to Nusa Penida, and brought to the bamboo nursery at FNPF. The seedlings are watered and stored in the nursery until they are collected by one of several local farmers’ cooperatives participating in the project. The seedlings are then transported from FNPF to the farmers’ land and planted with a variety of soil conditioners to provide for optimal growth in Nusa Penida’s arid and dry climate. The farmers then report to FNPF the location and quantity of seedlings planted and provide feedback and reports on mortality periodically throughout the rainy and dry seasons.

As it is the company’s intention to move toward total carbon neutrality, the importance of this pilot project will only increase. The company is now also offsetting its carbon emission generated by travel and other company activities.

GHG emissions associated with the company are calculated to prescribe a certain emissions offset requirement particular to bamboo and the climate of Nusa Penida. Offset requirements are expressed in hectares of bamboo in Nusa Penida per year.

The project had a third-party certification prepared by Ben Brown (R&D Coordinator of a local NGO called Sahabat Bambu and Director of Mangrove Action Project (MAP) Indonesia), who visited the island in June 2007. The certification was in the form of a Verification Report - Sustainable Advertising, Bamboo Planting for Voluntary Carbon Offset and Watershed Reforestation on Nusa Penida Island.