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The orangutan depends on the forest to survive. Tragically these great apes are seriously threatened because their habitat, the tropical forests of Borneo and Sumatra, is being lost at an alarming rate. The IUCN’s Redlist classifies Bornean orangutans, which are divided into three sub-species, as endangered and Sumatran orangutans as critically endangered. 
Orangutan habitat is destroyed and degraded by illegal logging, oil-palm plantations, acacia plantations (for wood pulp), fire, mining and small-scale shifting cultivation. (read more about threats to orangutans) In response to these threats Orangutan Foundation and Yayorin, our Indonesian partner, have developed a conservation strategy, which aims to protect vast areas of forest and significant wild orangutan populations (see ‘Protecting Critical Orangutan Habitat’ which gives details about Orangutan Foundation and our partners programmes). We are increasing the area of forest under protection and securing it’s future and that of the orangutan through, direct habitat protection (guard posts and forest patrols), reforestation, sustainable management of forests, eco-tourism and potential carbon trading schemes. We work with local stakeholders who include, local communities, government departments, logging concessions and with other non-governmental organisations. 
The Foundation give priority to long-term programmes that combine conservation activities with community development in a mutually, compatible and synergistic way. Many Indonesian people live close to areas of orangutan habitat and these people must be involved in any conservation strategy if it is to be successful long-term. The decision-making process is based on a deep understanding of the situation on the ground, guided by sound scientific evidence. There are multiple benefits from our programmes of protecting prime orangutan habitat: - Tropical forests can play a significant role in guarding against climate change. Orangutans inhabit low-lying peat swamps and these forests contain the world’s largest stores of bio-carbon. Up to 25% of annual global carbon emissions come from deforestation. The protection of prime orangutan habitat not also saves this species of great ape but is also crucial to our efforts to tackle climate change.
- Orangutan habitat is one of the most biologically diverse areas on Earth. Orangutans are ideal ambassadors for the rainforests; they are a large, identifiable, charismatic and intelligent species. An area of forest is more likely to gain protection if orangutans are identified there. When orangutan habitat is awarded protection thousands of other species (birds, amphibians, insects, plants) automatically gain it too.
- Local communities have a standing forest that not only offers long-term economic rewards enabling them to maintain their traditional lifestyles but also provides priceless ecological services.
- By protecting orangutan habitat we preserve one of the most vital ecosystems on the planet. Rainforests play an essential role in purifying and regulating water supplies, moderating the impact of storms and floods, creating and maintaining soils. Logging and land conversion expose the soils, and the loss of topsoil results in landslides and flooding.
More conservation information...  Threats to Habitat Conserving Critical Orangutan Habitat Threats to Orangutans Factsheet
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