Hutan Laksana Air Susu Ibu (The Forest That Nurtures Life)

For generations, the Dayak customary community in Malinau, North Kalimantan, has protected their forests through local wisdom—proving that the best guardians of nature are often the people who have called it home for centuries. Today, their journey continues as they pursue formal recognition of their customary forest, securing not only their ancestral rights but also sustainable access to the forests that support their livelihoods, culture, and future. Indonesia is accelerating the recognition of Customary Law Communities (Masyarakat Hukum Adat) and Customary Forests (Hutan Adat) through stronger national commitments, including the establishment of the Customary Forest Task Force to help achieve the target of recognising 1.4 million hectares of customary forests by 2029. Supported by the Ministry of Forestry, UNDP, and Norway's International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) through the UN-REDD Programme, this collaborative effort brings together government institutions, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and development partners to advance inclusive forest governance—where people and nature thrive together. Watch the story of the Dayak community in Malinau and discover how recognising customary forests is helping protect Indonesia's forests while safeguarding the rights, culture, and livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples. #CustomaryForest #HutanAdat #MasyarakatHukumAdat #SocialForestry #UNDPIndonesia #UNREDD #NICFI #ForestConservation #IndigenousPeoples #Dayak #Malinau #NorthKalimantan #ClimateAction #Biodiversity