The Pawan Basin is more than a landscape in Ketapang it is a testbed for Nature50’s integrated strategy, where forests, peatlands, communities, and global supply chains converge. Since 2017, Nature50 has been facilitating community rights through social forestry, securing over 35,000 hectares of forests for villages and indigenous groups. This is not just about legal access it is about building ownership, resilience, and new opportunities for communities at the frontlines of change.

At the heart of the basin lies the Sungai Putri peat swamp, a globally significant 57,000-hectare ecosystem with peat depths reaching 15 meters. Its conservation is critical for biodiversity and climate, but it is also highly vulnerable. Through Nature50’s Critical Habitat Protection (CHP) and partnerships with companies such as Bumitama Agri Ltd., co-management and restoration efforts are bridging conservation with supply chain accountability.

Villages like Sungai Melayu reflect another pillar CNEO where independent smallholders, often excluded from global markets, are being connected to sustainable value chains. More than 500 farmers here are part of a wider movement to produce palm oil that is carbon neutral and deforestation-free, while social forestry initiatives protect and restore surrounding forests.

Through R2R – Re-Entry to Recovery, companies with a legacy of deforestation in the basin are being given a pathway back into markets, provided they invest in real recovery: reforestation, peatland restoration, and social compensation. And with LGSF – Local Government Support Facility, the villages government is positioned not as a passive regulator, but as a co-owner of sustainability solutions. Innovative social forestry management in Sungai Melayu are paving the way for stronger local governance, future carbon finance opportunities, and shared responsibility in protecting critical ecosystems.

The Pawan Basin is not just a site of intervention it embodies the full Nature50 strategy: connecting smallholders, companies, and governments to turn risks into opportunities. For Indonesia, it strengthens jurisdictional contributions to FoLU Net Sink 2030. For global markets, it demonstrates that palm oil supply chains can be redefined—beyond compliance, towards restoration, inclusivity, and resilience.