Nusantara Capital Authority plants five million trees in Indonesia's new capital

The Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN) announced that around five million trees have been planted between 2022 and 2026 as part of the environmental restoration of Indonesia's future capital, Nusantara, which spans North Penajam Paser and Kutai Kartanegara districts in East Kalimantan. OIKN head Basuki Hadimuljono explained that the project follows a re‑wilding approach aimed at restoring natural ecosystem functions rather than merely replanting trees, reversing earlier monoculture plantations.

Two wildlife corridors have already been built along the Balikpapan‑Nusantara toll road to reconnect fragmented habitats, and the authority intends to designate 65 % of the city's area as protected land. The effort seeks to ensure that nature and development can coexist as the new capital takes shape.