“IKEA is committed to improving biodiversity and
protecting ecosystems throughout the value chain and beyond. One important component is
the restoration and protection of degraded landscapes. The Sow a Seed project
in Borneo, started by IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad 20 years ago, provides important insights into how this
can be done.” says Ulf Johansson, Head of Global Wood Supply and Forestry,
Inter IKEA Group.
The rainforest in Borneo had been destroyed by
fires and irresponsible logging, causing the loss of many indigenous tree
species. After assisting the natural forest regeneration and replanting three
million seedlings of around 80 indigenous species of large trees and nurturing
them to maturity, other species have followed to recreate a valuable forest
ecosystem which in many ways is close to the original. And most importantly –
wildlife has started to return to the area, including pygmy elephants,
orangutans, clouded leopards, and hornbills, as well as other rare species
spotted using camera traps.
Even though the Sow a Seed project is not connected
to the IKEA value chain, IKEA has funded and actively supported the project together
with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and Sabah
Foundation, a Malaysian government organization. Aside from funding, IKEA has
been provided expertise, training and been part of a multi-stakeholder
governance model for the project.
“Against the backdrop of climate change and accelerating biodiversity
loss, the Sow a Seed project brings important learnings in terms of carbon
storage, ecosystem integrity, water quality, and much more. Data from over 20
years exists. The most important conclusion is that it is very much possible to
regenerate rainforests and restore biodiversity. Given the fact that there are
many millions of hectares of degraded rainforests in Borneo alone, that
knowledge is invaluable,” says Ulrik Ilstedt, Associate Professor at SLU.
One of the major components of the project has been the research activities. Researchers are actively involved in the project to support the development and to gain and share knowledge. IKEA is currently funding a post-doctoral position which will determine the amount of carbon stored and measurable biodiversity gains, with results coming in the next two years. IKEA strongly encourages further research in the area:
“The site is unique in the sense that is provides the
opportunity to study a 20-year-old restored rainforest with data assembled
through the restoration period. There is infrastructure and strong local
competence to assist research in the area. Apart from the restored forest
itself, the learnings of how our world’s forests can be restored is what we see
as our main contribution through this project” says Annie Sandgren, Project
Manager at Wood Supply and Forestry.
Learn more about the Sow a Seed project: Restoring Rainforest In
Borneo (external link)
About IKEA
IKEA offers well-designed, functional and affordable, high-quality home furnishing, produced with care for people and the environment. There are several companies with different owners, working under the IKEA Brand, all sharing the same vision: to create a better everyday life for the many people. IKEA was founded in Sweden in 1943.
About Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
SLU conducts
education, research and environmental monitoring and assessment in
collaboration with society at large. Through a focus on the interaction between
humans, animals and ecosystems and the responsible use of natural resources,
SLU contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions
on our planet.
About Sabah Foundation
The objectives of Sabah Foundation, operationally referred to as Yayasan Sabah Group, are to provide education and educational facilities for all Malaysians in Sabah, creating opportunities for a more equitable distribution of economic wealth among the people in Sabah, and providing aid to charitable institutions and victims of natural disasters. In the Southeast Asian region, the
