For Marten, a resident of Lesan Dayak village in East Kalimantan, life was easier in the past, when he could find rattan and honey just a few steps away from his front door.

“Now we need 10-20 days to find everything. The forest that used to cater to our needs has deteriorated right in front of our eyes,” he said.

Concerned, Marten is now joining the Nemdoh Nemkay community group, consisting of youths in his village, to promote ecotourism and environmental preservation. “We want to start an ecotourism project in our village, so we take tourists to see the local bekantan (prosboscis monkeys), birds, the waterfall and the giant ulin (Borneo ironwood) trees.”