According to satellite image analysis by the government and ourselves, Kalimantan’s 55 million hectares mainland had32 million hectares of natural forest in 2000 (58% forest cover), but it lost 2.7 million hectares of this forest by 2009 and additional 2.2 million hectares by 2016. In 2016, Kalimantan had 49% forest cover, 27 million hectares of natural forest.

Average rate of deforestation slightly increased from close to 300,000 hectares (0.9%) per year between 2000 and 2009 to 320,000 hectares (1.1%) between 2009 and 2016. So far Kalimantan’s deforestation rate has been about half the rate of Sumatra, but would this trend remain the same?

As Sumatra’s natural forest available for pulping and conversion for oil palm plantation continued to disappear, the two industries started to target more and more natural forest areas in Kalimantan for their expansion. Infrastructure development into forest areas and forest conversion that follows that and mining, especially coal, are additional threats to Kalimantan’s forests.

Following a series of Eyes on the Forest facilitated trainings and workshops involving local civil society organizations in Kalimantan since 2013, and collaborations in actual monitoring as a part of RPHK consortium in West Kalimantan and with Gapeta Borneo in North Kalimantan resulted in an official formation of Eyes on the Forest Kalimantan Network in 2015. Currently, the Network members include: Environmental Law Clinic, Lembaga Gemawan, JARI Indonesia Borneo Barat, Kontak Rakyat Borneo, POINT, Swandiri Institute, Yayasan Titian, Gapeta Borneo and WWF-Indonesia West Kalimantan Program.

Eyes on the Forest Kalimantan Network and its members has focused on monitoring of deforestation, forest degradation particularly driven by expansion of pulp and paper, palm oil and mining industries mainly in the landscapes indicated in the map above and published so far, for example:

• Investigative report on alleged breach of forest conservation commitments by Sinar Mas Group/Asia Pulp & Paper.
• Investigative report on breach of forest conservation commitments by Royal Golden Eagle/APRIL.
• Investigative report on deforestation caused by another pulp & paper company.
• Investigative report on weaknesses of Indonesia's Timber Legality Assurance System (TLAS).
• Investigative report on wide-spread illegal coal mining practices and rampant abuse of the government mandatory "Clean and Clear" certification system. The report was submitted to the Government and law enforcers.

Eyes on the Forest Kalimantan Network coordinates its work with Eyes on the Forest in Riau and Jambi to keep pressuring and monitoring companies operating in Kalimantan and Sumatra to conduct legal and responsible operations and implement their corporate commitments, not only to stop causing deforestation through their supply chains, but also to start conserving and restoring high conservation value areas to remedy its legacy of deforestation. Eyes on the Forest Kalimantan Network is also a part of the Independent Forest Monitoring Network for Timber Legality Assurance System (TLAS) in Indonesia.