Overview
Chevron's Salak project, among the largest geothermal fields in the world, is located in one of Indonesia's largest national parks. We're working with farmers, park rangers and international wildlife groups to protect the park's biodiversity while producing the energy that powers Indonesian progress.
Protecting the Forest
The Gunug Halimun Salak National Park is known for its diversity of plants and animals. It's in Java, the most densely populated of Indonesia's 17,508 islands. How is the park's ecosystem being protected?
Sheltering Species
The Gunung Halimun Salak National Park is only an hour's drive from Jakarta, the bustling capital of Indonesia. Yet it is the largest primitive forest in Java, housing gibbons, hawk-eagles, and leopards, along with many other rare and endangered species.
About the Park
Created in 1992, the Gungung Halimun Salak National Park is Java's largest primitive forest with over 279,000 acres. The park also hosts Chevron's geothermal field, which captures the natural power of steam to generate electricity while producing almost no greenhouse emissions.
Wells are drilled into productive geothermal zones, releasing a mixture of hot water and steam.
Envisioning the Future
Since the creation of the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park in 1992, community and education programs have emphasized the value of the forest. The park shelters endangered wildlife and conserves Indonesia's cultural identity.
Asep Suhendar, Farmer
I always bring my children to the agriculture area and teach them the importance of nature to life because I am very aware that today will be different from tomorrow. Since the beginning, I ask my children to love nature, because what we're doing now will impact our children in the future.
Dr. Bambang Supriyanto, Park Director
The Gunung Halimun Salak National Park is one of the national parks in Indonesia and the largest national park in Java island. The role of this national park is very important in terms of preserving biodiversity and also maintaining security for human life in Java.
As you understand, we have three indigenous species that live in this national park: the Javan leopard, and then gibbons, the Javan gibbon. And lastly is the Javan eagle. As you understand, for example, the Javan eagle is very important for Indonesia, because it is a symbol of the Republic of Indonesia.
A lot of activity we've already created, like community involvement, education, and the last initiative is concerning biodiversity. This is concerning the Javan eagle sanctuary and also releasing some of them in the forest.
Facing the Challenges
We work with the nature reserve staff, Wildlife Trust employees and local groups to find solutions to the challenges faced by the park. These partnerships allow us to protect the forest's biodiversity while developing needed energy.
Usman Slamet, Chevron Employee
My name is Usman Slamet. I am the manager for Policy, Government and Public Affairs for Chevron Geothermal Indonesia.
Working inside the national park is unique because it gives you an opportunity to show how you work, that it's environmentally acceptable. We're also protecting the environment, protecting this important ecosystem in Indonesia. And in Chevron we're always looking for continuous improvement. And then we implement the environmental stewardship as dictated in our Operational Excellence Management System, while we're also making friends with the park manager. And we believe, both of us believe, that we can gain the best of these two worlds, with ecological conservation in one area, and energy development in the other area.
The park has rich biodiversity, probably one of the richest in Indonesia. So we see the move to increase the status of the area in the national park. We work closely with the NGOs [non-governmental organizations], local business NGOs, international business NGOs, WWF [World Wildlife Fund], and also Conservation International and Wildlife Trust. And, of course, we work closely with the Ministry of Forestry, because the forestry department is the regulatory agency for the area.
Helping Gibbons Survive
Silvery Gibbons are endangered apes found only on the Indonesia island of Java. The protected population within the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park offers the species its best chance for long-term survival.
Audio: Silvery Gibbons call
Farming in the Wild
With a population of over 200 million, Indonesia faces constant pressure for more crops, placing the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park at risk. How does linking agriculture to biodiversity help protect the forest?
Working Together
How do you balance environmental conservation with a nation's need to feed its people? This challenge unites the park service with local groups to develop creative solutions that sustain both the park and the surrounding villages.
Dr. Bambang Supriyanto, Park Director
There are three challenges to managing this national park. Firstly, concerning community. There are 314 kampong (villages) located in or near the forest. The second is concerning the degradations. We see that in the degradation area, there is a positive correlation with the location of the people. In the last 20 years we see that 19.6 percent of the forest has already degraded. This is really our challenge: how to manage the people and how to manage the forest, in synergy, in order to maintain sustainability in the future.
The plan at the moment is 15,000 seedlings. This is to restore 120 hectares. This is very important for us, and very important for the community. The species we already planted is Arenga pinnata. This is very important for the community to make sugarcane.
During a period of five years, we are allowing people to do agroforestry. So in between the Arenga pinnata they can cultivate agriculture crops. So in the short-term period, they can earn money from crop activities. And in the middle, and also for the long-term, they are earning from sugarcane for a better life in the future.
Sustainable Farming
Natural farming methods such as crop rotation and natural pest control have been passed down through generations. Preserving these traditional techniques at the edge of the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park is critical to the well-being of people and wildlife.
Using New Methods
Some villagers have diversified their farming to include different crops and animals. These adjustments use less forestland and prevent soil depletion, while increasing profits.
Asep Suhendar, Farmer
My name is Asep Suhendar. My daily activity is a farmer in this field in Kalapamunggal. My main activity is duck farming and growing vegetables.
I learn a lot from the program partnership with Chevron. They give us training to manage duck farming.
It's very beneficial. The first time we did activities in this field we felt that there was increased production, and we can develop other programs such as fishery and goat farming. We can also do chicken farming to provide consumption for the community locally. Automatically, we receive more income from our basic agriculture than we used to do.
I am very happy partnering with Chevron, and I hope the community can take the benefit of this program, the community engagement program.
Relying on Insects
Insects are vital to the park's ecosystem. The Praying Mantis is more than just a food source for forest animals. It also eats agricultural pests, minimizing the need for pesticides on organic farms near the forest.
A Haven for Eagles
The Gunung Halimun Salak National Park is a sanctuary for some very rare wildlife species including Indonesia's national bird, the Javan Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus bartelsi). Conservation plans are reviving the population from the brink of extinction.
Producing Energy Respectfully
Chevron continues to develop cleaner ways to provide the energy the world needs. How does our Salak geothermal field produce renewable energy while respecting the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park?
Protecting Biodiversity
Conserving biodiversity means protecting the planet's species and the ecosystems that support them. It goes beyond good corporate citizenship. We're an energy company, but we live here too
Usman Slamet, Chevron Employee
In Chevron, we take a proactive approach to environmental protection. Especially things with the ecosystem, conservation, and biodiversity. Because we want to be a leader. We want to be the best, the best in the way we operate our operations. But also, at the same time, the best in striving for environmental stewardship.
We continuously improve our performance in the environment as per our Operational Excellence Management System. But we're also making friends, a lot of friends, in the surrounding operation. Like the park management, the community, the local government, and any party—or any stakeholder—who has the same interests in this important national park.
You know why I like working for Chevron? Because as an Indonesian, I see the way Chevron operates. Or at least, I see Chevron's vision that they want to be the best. They want to be the best in every sector. They want to be the best geothermal company in the world. And then they implement that vision. They really care about the environment in addition to their normal business of looking for energy, developing energy. And as an Indonesian, I have the same vision. Because this is my home country and I see the importance of protecting the ecosystem of Indonesia.
Being Good Neighbors
In 2006, Chevron was honored for the fourth time with Indonesia's Most Admired Company Award for our outstanding record of environmental practices.
Usman Slamet, Chevron Employee
In Indonesia, Chevron Geothermal has been operating for almost 30 years. Currently, they operate two of the largest geothermal fields in Indonesia—Salak and Darajat. Both locations have the capacity for almost 636 megawatts. We are very proud of our operation, because it really shows to the world, and, of course, to Indonesia, how renewable energy can be operated safely in an environmental manner. How we can have a clean operation, basically.
Dr. Bambang Supriyanto, Park Director
My understanding of Chevron's operations is they are environmentally friendly. And, of course, we are trying to minimize the impact of the operations to the national park. During the planning — and also during the operations — they consult day-to-day with us, in order to make a harmony, or a synergy, between Chevron and the national park.
Usman Slamet
Chevron Geothermal's Indonesia philosophy on corporate responsibility is basically simple: we want to be part of the family. Because we work with the community, we live in the community, so we want to be a good neighbor. We are not different from them.
Water for Life
Chevron's work in the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park respects the park's function as a natural dam. The reserve supplies steady water while controlling floods to surrounding cities, including Indonesia's capital, Jakarta.
Sharing a Vision
The Indonesian expression gotong royang means working with others. Chevron is working closely with managers of the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park to conserve and protect the forest.
Dr. Bambang Supriyanto, Park Director
There are three principles that we adopt. One is concerning mutual trust, mutual benefit and mutual respect, to make this process fully happen in this national park. We are not concerned with sponsorship, but we are dealing with partnerships for a certain period. This means we have a certain objective, and we come together, share the methodology, share the resources, and then also share in the risks for our benefit.
Usman Slamet, Chevron Employee
So, for example, in our operation in Salak—it's a unique place, a really unique place, because we are located inside the national park, one of the most important national parks in Indonesia. Because it's just right in the face of Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. And, of course, we want to explore and exploit the geothermal resources. On the other hand, we also see the importance of conserving this important national park.
We believe that we can work inside the national park in an environmental manner, I mean safely. And we always see environmental stewardship as the most important part of our operation because we are working inside the national park while we're also producing energy that provides electricity for the millions of homes in Indonesia.
In Harmony With Nature
During more than 80 years in Indonesia, Chevron has protected endangered wildlife and replanted forests. Our geothermal production in the national park, shown here, embraces the same commitment to conservation.