Batukaru Reforestation Launches With 100 Trees on 1,000 m² Forest Plot

Batukaru — A cross-sector reforestation initiative has begun around Pura Luhur Batukaru in Tabanan, with 100 trees planted across a 1,000-square-metre forest plot as part of a Bali Provincial Forestry Service program supported by the Nuanu Social Fund and the Bali Tourism Board, according to Nuanu Creative City and multiple local media reports.

The planting officially started on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, following land preparation that had been underway since mid-August. Planting activities are scheduled to continue until 2 September 2026.

The first phase involves three tree species selected in coordination with the provincial forestry service and technical staff: banyan, mahogany and cempaka (Magnolia champaca). Project materials and local coverage state that 30 banyan trees, 50 mahogany trees and 20 cempaka trees are being planted within the initial 1,000-square-metre area.

• 30 banyan trees
• 50 mahogany trees
• 20 cempaka trees (Magnolia champaca)
• 1,000 square metres in the initial planting area
• 12 months of funded maintenance and survival monitoring

According to Nuanu Creative City and several Bali-based outlets, the Nuanu Social Fund’s support covers the supply of seedlings, planting, watering, replacement of any seedlings that fail, and protection of the planting site for twelve months after the trees are in the ground. Survival and growth data from the monitoring period are scheduled to be published in September 2027.

Water catchment and local involvement

The Bali Provincial Forestry Service has identified the Batukaru area as a priority for reforestation because of its role in upstream ecosystems and water supply for agricultural landscapes, according to local reports. Media coverage notes that the forests on the slopes of Mount Batukaru help sustain subak irrigation systems and surrounding villages, and warns that reduced vegetation in upland areas can diminish water retention and increase erosion risks for terraced farmland downstream.

The reforestation work around Pura Luhur Batukaru is being coordinated with customary leaders (including the desa adat of Wongaya Gede), temple stakeholders and village government representatives. Reports describe the participation of local residents in labour, maintenance and monitoring activities, highlighting their long-standing role in caring for the forest landscape.

The initiative is presented by officials and partners as a collaboration model between government agencies, indigenous communities, the tourism sector and private actors. Representatives of the Bali Tourism Board have linked their involvement to the tourism industry’s dependence on reliable water resources from Bali’s upland catchments.

Monitoring to test durability

Local coverage cites I Ketut Subandi, head of watershed management and community empowerment at the Bali Provincial Forestry and Environment Service, as saying that reforestation efforts should be tailored to each site’s ecological conditions and focused on restoring ecosystem functions rather than simply planting trees.

Nuanu Social Fund head Auditya Sari has emphasised that most of the work and risk in reforestation occurs after planting, and that the organisation’s role is to fund and support a full year of maintenance and monitoring in partnership with local communities. She stated that the survival rate of the planted trees will be published after twelve months “whatever the result”, underscoring a commitment to transparent reporting.

Media reports also note the cultural importance of banyan trees at temple sites in Bali, describing the Batukaru planting as an effort to combine ecological rehabilitation with the cultural landscape surrounding Pura Luhur Batukaru.

Context and next steps

The Batukaru planting marks the first phase of a longer-term restoration effort in a priority forest area, beginning with land preparation in mid-August, planting from 26 August to 2 September 2026, and followed by maintenance and monitoring through September 2027. Partners describe the current work as an initial model rather than a completed programme, with its long-term impact depending on seedling survival, replacement needs, protection arrangements and potential expansion to additional planting sites in the Batukaru area.

Sources

• detikBali – Reforestasi Hutan Lindung Pura Luhur Batukaru, Ratusan Pohon Ditanam
• Disway Bali – Nuanu dan Bali Tourism Board Dukung Reforestasi Batukaru
• Fajar Bali – Pura Luhur Batukaru Direforestasi, Sinergi Lintas Sektor Jaga Ekosistem Hulu dan Budaya Bali
• Lensa Bali – Pemprov Bali Tanam 100 Pohon di Lereng Batukaru, Kawasan yang Menopang 20 Subak dan Tujuh Desa
• Breaking-news.co.id – Reforestasi Batukaru, 100 Pohon Ditanam dan Dipantau Selama Satu Tahun
• Kabarnusa – 100 Pohon di Batukaru: Langkah Awal Kolaborasi Menjaga Hutan Bali
• Ranah Rumah – Reforestasi Batukaru, Menjaga Hutan dan Sumber Air Bali
• Nuanu Creative City, News & Articles