Antonius and the Calling of Borneo’s Rainforest

For Antonius, the forest has never been an abstract concept. It is a living space where biodiversity, culture, and livelihood intersect. 

As a lecturer in the Forestry Study Program at Universitas Kapuas, Sintang, he has spent years shaping students who understand that forestry is not merely about timber or land use, but about responsibility toward nature and future generations.

Borneo’s rainforest, one of the oldest tropical forests in the world, has long attracted researchers, conservationists, and travelers. 

Antonius stands at the crossroads of these worlds, linking academic knowledge with real-life forest stewardship on the ground.

Why the Award Matters: Education That Moves Beyond the Classroom

The Inspirational Forester Award was given in recognition of Antonius’ consistency in forestry education, academic research, and sustainable forest conservation. His work reflects a belief that education must be practical, contextual, and deeply connected to local realities.

Beyond teaching at the university, Antonius actively accompanies communities in protecting forests located outside officially designated forest areas. These landscapes are often the most vulnerable, as they fall into legal gray zones and are frequently targeted for land conversion into plantations or other extractive uses.

This idea was later formalized through Regent Regulation Number 122 of 2021, which provides clear guidelines for proposing and establishing community-managed forests, locally known as Rimba or Gupung, outside state forest zones. The regulation allows funding support from various sources, including Village Funds, local and national government budgets, private companies, NGOs, and international partners.

For Antonius, policy is a bridge between ideals and action. Without legal recognition, community conservation efforts remain fragile. With it, forests gain protection and people gain dignity.

What Has Been Done: Communities Saving 65,000 Hectares

The regulation became a quiet turning point, restoring hope to communities who had long protected the forest without recognition. Across Sintang Regency, villages stepped forward to claim their shared guardianship, transforming uncertainty into legal dignity. From that collective courage, nearly 65,000 hectares of forest were saved, standing today as living proof that when people are trusted, the forest survives.

These forests are not empty green spaces. They are ecosystems rich in endemic flora and fauna, sources of clean water, and cultural landscapes tied closely to indigenous identity. They also represent a growing opportunity for Borneo tour and travel, especially for visitors seeking authentic eco-tourism experiences.

Community-managed forests offer a different kind of journey. Travelers can walk beneath towering dipterocarp trees, observe wildlife in its natural habitat, and learn directly from local people who have protected the forest for generations. In this model, tourism supports conservation rather than undermining it.

Antonius’ role has been crucial in ensuring that conservation is not imposed from above but grows from within the community itself. His work shows that when people are trusted with their forests, they become the strongest guardians.

The Road Ahead: Endemic Trees, Eco-Tourism, and Living Forests

Looking forward, Antonius remains focused on long-term sustainability. Together with communities, he plans to strengthen forest protection through enrichment planting in degraded areas. These efforts prioritize local and endemic species, including Meranti from the Dipterocarpaceae family, Aren, Sago, and other native plants essential to Borneo’s rainforest ecosystem.

This approach ensures ecological balance while reinforcing traditional knowledge and local food systems. Restoration, in Antonius’ view, must respect what already belongs to the land.

At the same time, he envisions community forests as centers for environmental services, particularly eco-tourism. The plan includes developing nature-based tourism that highlights rainforest biodiversity, wildlife observation, and community-made products derived from non-timber forest resources.

Such initiatives align closely with the future of Borneo tour and travel, where visitors increasingly seek meaningful experiences that contribute to conservation and local well-being. 

Through careful guidance and education, Antonius hopes these forests will remain living classrooms, not only for students and researchers, but also for travelers from around the world.

In honoring Antonius, the Inspirational Forester Award honors not just a man, but a quiet movement that grows from classrooms into living forests. It affirms a vision of forestry where education shapes policy and people stand at the heart of conservation. 

Through this path, Borneo’s rainforest is not merely preserved, but allowed to live, breathe, and inspire generations yet to come.