Orangutan Research & Conservation Program
OFI's main responsibility is to ensure that research and conservation activities at the historic Camp Leakey site continue. As the ORCP activities expand to other areas, OFI will provide the needed support.

Community-Based Patrols
OFI funds the active patrolling of the northern portion of Tanjung Puting National Park. The patrols are comprised of local police officers and OFI staff and represent a community-wide effort to keep illegal loggers and miners from degrading orangutan habitat.

Lamandau Reserve Program
OFI manages the Lamandau Nature Reserve with the Natural Resources Department of the Indonesian Forestry. The Lamandau Nature Reserve was the result of OFI working with local and national government officials to save a former logging concession from becoming a palm oil plantation. OFI have two major aims at the Lamandau: 1) to protect the forest/nature reserve, that is habitat protection, and 2) to provide a secure release site for the orangutans graduating from the Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine. OFI partners with local police and forestry police to patrol the Lamandau for illegal loggers that threaten the integrity of the forest and security of the orangutans.

Rain forest Restoration Program
OFI assists in the planting of various tree species in degraded areas outside of Tanjung Puting National Park. OFI's botanical nursery helps grow seedlings and saplings and local women are hired to plant various species of trees. By planting trees now, we can help expand the effective forested areas for orangutans not yet born and for species that can adapt to marginal forested habitats. OFI partners with its Australian chapter to enhance this program.

Orangutan Care & Quarantine and Education Centers
With approval of the Indonesian government, OFI built an orangutan care center and quarantine for confiscated orangutans needing to be medically treated and cared for in preparation for reintroduction to the wild. This complements the long term program of orangutan conservation started in 1971. An Education Center and Herbarium will be constructed in the near future to provide a base for educating and training local students and academics in issues regarding orangutan and rain forest conservation and research.

Orangutan Foundation Indonesia Support
OFI is funding the operation of the Orangutan Foundation Indonesia (YAYORIN) until which time it can raise funds within the country. YAYORIN conducts in country education at the level where conservation awareness and endangeredspecies protection is critically needed. They publish a newsletter in the Indonesian language which is distributed throughout the country and also assist Dr. Galdikas in various conservation matters.

Sanctuary for North American Orangutans
OFI is moving towards the day where a state of the art sanctuary will be built in N America for orangutans currently held in private hands and zoological institutions. We will work cooperatively with zoos and wildlife officials to place orangutans in the most appropriate manner.

Education
OFI and its international chapters have a mandate to produce educational programs for schools, deliver public lectures, organize conferences and seminars and disseminate news about orangutans, their plight and what people are doing to help. General contributors to OFI receive the newsletter, PONGO QUEST, which provides news and updates about activities involving orangutans and people helping orangutans, including news from zoos and the field, reports from OFI international chapters, and articles about research, conservation and education. OFI manages this web site where students and others can obtain information on-line.

International Orangutan Awareness Week
November of each year. OFI organizes a week long celebration of outreach, education, and consciousness raising regarding the orangutan throughout the United States and in countries where the Foundation has chapters. OFI seeks interested people around the country and world who would like to help paticipate. Contact OFI or your closest International Chapter if you would are interested in being part of the next event.

Tour Programs
OFI provides interested individuals a chance to participate in our challenging and exciting field program through the 11-day Study Tour. The 11-day Study Tour gives the participant the opportunity to see what tracking and studying the wild orangutan is really like. OFI also provides 5-day tours for adventurers through International Expeditions.

Volunteer Program
OFI continues the Field Volunteer Program in 2010. Volunteers will be helping to improve the infrastructure within and around Tanjung Puting National Park to enhance overall conservation efforts. Volunteer slots are limited. Contact ofioffice@gmail.com.

GIS Program
OFI is currently in the beginning stages of developing a geographical information system (GIS) to help support orangutan and rain forest conservation efforts in Indonesian Borneo. With support from ESRI and other vendors and professionals, OFI will take information collected from ground level (e.g., orangutan surveys) as well as from space (e.g., satellite data) to produce information rich maps that show vegetative cover and areas where orangutans are located in south central Borneo. The GIS program will also look at bringing in other layers of data that will permit OFI and other wildlife and conservation officials to better prioritize areas for conservation and management based on a spatial assessment of habitat, resources and disturbance threats.

Related Articles

The Orangutan Research and Conservation Program. The Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine. The Orangutan Education and Action Network. The LP Jenkins Memorial Fellowship Program.