In 1996, Indonesia’s mocked tree planter planted 11,000 trees and changed a land forever
How deforestation triggered Wonogiri's drought and water crisis How planting 11,000 banyan and ficus trees transformed Wonogiri's hills Why many villagers opposed Sadiman's tree-planting mission
How deforestation triggered Wonogiri's drought and water crisis How planting 11,000 banyan and ficus trees transformed Wonogiri's hills Why many villagers opposed Sadiman's tree-planting mission How thousands of trees helped revive Wonogiri's water supply Why villagers now celebrate the man they once called crazy When traversing the hills of Wonogiri in Central Java, today’s visitors might take the dense areas of greenery in stride. The springs nourish nearby villages, the farms have sufficient water for numerous harvests, and the slopes covered with trees conceal the bare ground that used to be visible before. However, very few would think of the fact that many changes took place thanks to the commitment of one man who dedicated many years to tree-planting efforts despite the lack of encouragement from the people around him.Now well-known as an environmentally conscious individual, Sadiman began his mission with a straightforward realisation. As a person who noticed the depletion of the local forest due to the constant farming and the disappearance of streams that provided water for many villages, he came up with his own way to fight that trend. His solution was not a governmental initiative or a large-scale project of some kind; it was decades of planting one tree after another and getting mocked by his neighbours who did not understand the sense of growing useless plants.The Wonogiri area has been known for many years to be dry.
Rainfall is seasonal in nature, and the hilly nature of the area means that there is not much moisture retained after vegetation is destroyed in such areas.With the destruction of forests, cultivation and burning becoming common practices, the delicate balance that sustained the water supply of the area started dwindling away.People realised the negative impacts that had come about because of this. The rivers dried up, sources of water became inconsistent, and it became more difficult for people to carry out agricultural activities. In some cases, people could only farm during one cropping period because of lack of water.His attention settled on banyan and ficus trees, species known for their extensive root systems. Instead of growing only near villages or roads, he concentrated on higher ground where restoring vegetation could have a wider effect across surrounding catchment areas.As reported by Reuters in 2021, over more than two decades, he planted at least 11,000 trees across roughly 250 hectares (617 acres). The work progressed gradually. There was no sudden change to the landscape, only years of repeated planting and waiting for young trees to establish themselves.As the roots spread through the soil, they helped improve the ground's ability to absorb and retain rainfall.
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