Harapan Rainforest is located on fairly flat land, which means we have few vantage points for viewing the site. To address this, our trained climbing team and representatives from Indonesian climbing organisation IndoRope are installing five viewing platforms this month, at the dizzying height of nearly 30 metres above the forest floor, with more planned for next month. These platforms are important for helping our fire fighting team detect any fire outbreaks and as lookout points that ensure the security of the forest.
Another benefit is the incredible views of wildlife. I got to visit a platform last week. The climb was tiring, but the views made it worthwhile. After only 10 minutes I saw two brightly-coloured rhinoceros hornbills skimming the canopy. I also got great views of a family of gibbons swinging through the treetops, settling in a fruiting tree just 20 metres from where I was perched. I can’t wait for my next opporunity to share the forest canopy with this amazing wildlife.