Skip to content
  • About
  • Partner with Us
  • Indonesia
Primary Menu
  • Home
  • Topics
  • Latest
  • News
  • Press Release
  • Brief
  • Interview
  • Figure
  • Opinion
  • Community
  • Youth
  • SDGs
  • Event
  • Training
  • Figure

Rebirth of a Forest: 25 Years of Sadiman’s Trees

This year, a forest at the slopes of Mount Lawu flourishes, and the credit goes to one man, Sadiman. Today, we celebrate Sadiman and his twenty-five years of labor. 
by Zia Ul Haq May 21, 2021

In frame: Sadiman | Image source: Nuswantoro/Mongabay Indonesia

Sadiman, affectionately called “Mbah Sadiman”, is a 70-year-old man who lives in Geneng Village, Bulukerto District, Wonogiri Regency, Central Java Province of Indonesia. He has spent the past twenty-five years of his life planting and nurturing trees at the slopes of Mount Lawu in Wonogiri. His solo effort to restore life into the forest is a love letter to his people. 

A young Sadiman witnessed the destruction of the forest by massive illegal logging and forest fire. He grew up experiencing floods, landslides, and drought during dry seasons in his village. Seeing no solution coming from the government or any other parties, he decided to be proactive and take it upon himself to make a change.

Sadiman believed that clean water was a life source and a necessity for everyone. To secure that need for his people and future generations, he started planting banyan trees on the barren forest land and taking care of them along the way. Sadiman picked banyan trees for their positive role in water conservation efforts regardless of their little to zero economic value. He focused his efforts on two hills, Gendol and Ampyangan.

This mission was not without pain and hurdles. Sadiman traded his goats—and now clove trees—for banyan tree saplings and carried them all the way up the hills by himself. He was ridiculed and scorned for many reasons—one of them was the belief that banyan trees housed evil spirits. Sometimes, the trees he planted were cut down by others. Sadiman even admitted having struggled to keep negative thoughts at bay to stave off the panic of not making enough money to feed his family. Through it all, his faith, patience, and perseverance kept him committed.

To this day, Sadiman has planted around 15,000 trees on approximately 809 acres of forest land. After over two decades of commitment, villagers at the slopes of Mount Lawu now benefit from the fruit of his labor. The forest is green; the air is clean and fresh; and clean water flows freely to supply the daily needs of over 800 families from five villages and the irrigation of over 100 acres of rice fields, even in dry seasons. His efforts are now supported by many other parties like the local government and volunteer groups.

Sadiman has proved that consistent effort—no matter how small—matters. “I hope people stop burning down forests and cutting down trees,” said Sadiman to CNN Indonesia. In the end, Sadiman not only has planted trees; he has also cultivated an ideal in people’s minds on the importance of forest conservation for the good of our earth and our future. 

Editor: Marlis Afridah

Source: CNN Indonesia 

You can read the original article in Indonesian here.

Thank you for reading!
If you find this article insightful, subscribe to Green Network Asia’s Weekly Newsletter to stay up-to-date with sustainable development news and stories from multistakeholder communities in the Asia Pacific and beyond.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
Zia Ul Haq
Website | + posts

Zia is a Contributing Author for Green Network ID. He is a Learning Companion at Qaryah Thayyibah Learning Community (KBQT).

  • Zia Ul Haq
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/ziatuwel/
    Green Action of Planting Trees by Sakola Wanno, Layanibumi, and Green Network
  • Zia Ul Haq
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/ziatuwel/
    'You Are What You Eat', FOLO Farm Takes Healthy Food Seriously
  • Zia Ul Haq
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/ziatuwel/
    Sakola Wanno in Conserving the Nature and Culture of Sumba Island
  • Zia Ul Haq
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/ziatuwel/
    Maggha Karaneya Spreads Love for Abandoned Infants
Photo Profile Nazalea Kusuma
Nazalea Kusuma
Editor at Green Network | Website | + posts

Naz is the Manager for International Editorial at Green Network Asia. She once studied Urban and Regional Planning and has lived in multiple cities across Southeast Asia. She is an experienced and passionate writer, editor, translator, and creative designer with almost a decade worth of portfolio.

  • Nazalea Kusuma
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/nazalea/
    The 2023 Global Sustainable Development Report: Accelerating capacity building for sustainable development
  • Nazalea Kusuma
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/nazalea/
    How Consumers and Companies Move Toward Sustainable Packaging
  • Nazalea Kusuma
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/nazalea/
    5 Things Cities Can Do to Fulfil Your Right to Clean Air
  • Nazalea Kusuma
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/nazalea/
    Gender-Responsive Policy to Empower Women in Uzbekistan's Forest-Dependent Communities

Continue Reading

Previous: Beena Rao and Her Fight for Education for the Children of the Slums
Next: Tetsu Nakamura Flowed Life Back to the Valley of Death

Related Stories

a woman, Lian Gogali, is wearing a red knitted sweater on top of white outfit while standing in front of a door. Lian Gogali Brings Back Harmony in Poso with Schools of Peace
  • Featured
  • Figure
  • Partner

Lian Gogali Brings Back Harmony in Poso with Schools of Peace

by Abul Muamar September 26, 2023
a woman, butet manurung, in glasses holding a blackboard with alphabets on it Butet Manurung Provides a Liberating Education for Orang Rimba, the Indigenous People of Jambi
  • Featured
  • Figure
  • Partner

Butet Manurung Provides a Liberating Education for Orang Rimba, the Indigenous People of Jambi

by Abul Muamar September 22, 2023
a woman, Indah Darmastuti, sitting in front of a wall with a mirror hanging on it. Indah Darmastuti Makes Literature More Inclusive for Visually Impaired People
  • Featured
  • Figure
  • Partner

Indah Darmastuti Makes Literature More Inclusive for Visually Impaired People

by Abul Muamar September 19, 2023
a man with phocomelia in blue t-shirt sitting on a wheelchair in front of a painting Agus Yusuf Aspires to Open an Inclusive Art School for Artists with Disabilities
  • Featured
  • Figure
  • Partner

Agus Yusuf Aspires to Open an Inclusive Art School for Artists with Disabilities

by Abul Muamar September 14, 2023
a man, Kristopel Bili, wearing a cap, t-shirt, and a blue scarf Kristopel Bili Looks After Sumba’s Forests and Culture through Literature
  • Featured
  • Figure
  • Partner

Kristopel Bili Looks After Sumba’s Forests and Culture through Literature

by Abul Muamar September 12, 2023
A woman, Hanna Keraf, looking to the side up with fallen leaves in the background Hanna Keraf Empowers Rural Women by Reviving the Local’s Weaving Tradition
  • Featured
  • Figure
  • Partner

Hanna Keraf Empowers Rural Women by Reviving the Local’s Weaving Tradition

by Abul Muamar September 6, 2023
  • Latest
  • Popular
  • Partner
  • a man in suit and glasses speaking at the podium with blurry audience in the foreground COP28 President-Designate to UN Climate Ambition Summit: “We are not powerless” to overcome the climate crisis and urges world to “Get after Gigatons”
    • Press Release

    COP28 President-Designate to UN Climate Ambition Summit: “We are not powerless” to overcome the climate crisis and urges world to “Get after Gigatons”

  • a man in suit and glasses speaking at the podium with blurry audience in the foreground COP28 President-Designate to UN Climate Ambition Summit: “We are not powerless” to overcome the climate crisis and urges world to “Get after Gigatons”
    • Press Release

    COP28 President-Designate to UN Climate Ambition Summit: “We are not powerless” to overcome the climate crisis and urges world to “Get after Gigatons”

  • an aerial photo of trucks in the middle of sand field UNEP Report Shares Recommendations to Improve Sand Sustainability
    • Featured
    • News

    UNEP Report Shares Recommendations to Improve Sand Sustainability

  • a woman, Lian Gogali, is wearing a red knitted sweater on top of white outfit while standing in front of a door. Lian Gogali Brings Back Harmony in Poso with Schools of Peace
    • Featured
    • Figure
    • Partner

    Lian Gogali Brings Back Harmony in Poso with Schools of Peace

  • a hand doing an OK pose against an orange background British Sign Language Added 200 New Environmental-Related Signs to Its Vocabulary
    • Featured
    • News

    British Sign Language Added 200 New Environmental-Related Signs to Its Vocabulary

  • The green landscape of Semakau Island in Singapore Semakau Island, the Green Landfill in Singapore
    • Featured
    • News

    Semakau Island, the Green Landfill in Singapore

  • Indonesian spices as cultural heritage Enthusiasts Reclaim Spices’ Cultural Heritage, Launch Spice Hub Indonesia
    • Featured
    • News

    Enthusiasts Reclaim Spices’ Cultural Heritage, Launch Spice Hub Indonesia

  • illustration of National SDG tracker by Unescap UNESCAP Supports “Build Back Better” with the National SDG Tracker
    • Featured
    • News

    UNESCAP Supports “Build Back Better” with the National SDG Tracker

  • Beena Rao and Her Fight for Education for the Children of the Slums
    • Figure

    Beena Rao and Her Fight for Education for the Children of the Slums

  • Muslimat NU of Bojong-Tegal Campaigns Environmental Protection, Reduces Waste Production
    • Featured
    • News

    Muslimat NU of Bojong-Tegal Campaigns Environmental Protection, Reduces Waste Production

  • a woman, Lian Gogali, is wearing a red knitted sweater on top of white outfit while standing in front of a door. Lian Gogali Brings Back Harmony in Poso with Schools of Peace
    • Featured
    • Figure
    • Partner

    Lian Gogali Brings Back Harmony in Poso with Schools of Peace

  • a woman, butet manurung, in glasses holding a blackboard with alphabets on it Butet Manurung Provides a Liberating Education for Orang Rimba, the Indigenous People of Jambi
    • Featured
    • Figure
    • Partner

    Butet Manurung Provides a Liberating Education for Orang Rimba, the Indigenous People of Jambi

  • a woman, Indah Darmastuti, sitting in front of a wall with a mirror hanging on it. Indah Darmastuti Makes Literature More Inclusive for Visually Impaired People
    • Featured
    • Figure
    • Partner

    Indah Darmastuti Makes Literature More Inclusive for Visually Impaired People

  • a man with phocomelia in blue t-shirt sitting on a wheelchair in front of a painting Agus Yusuf Aspires to Open an Inclusive Art School for Artists with Disabilities
    • Featured
    • Figure
    • Partner

    Agus Yusuf Aspires to Open an Inclusive Art School for Artists with Disabilities

  • a man, Kristopel Bili, wearing a cap, t-shirt, and a blue scarf Kristopel Bili Looks After Sumba’s Forests and Culture through Literature
    • Featured
    • Figure
    • Partner

    Kristopel Bili Looks After Sumba’s Forests and Culture through Literature

About Us

  • About
  • #LetterfromtheFounder
  • The Team
  • Advisory Network
  • Youth Advisory Network
  • Contributor Network
  • Press Release Guidelines
  • Op-ed Article Guidelines
  • Community Article Guidelines
  • FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Telegram
  • Etsy
  • Tokopedia
  • Media Link 11
  • Media Link 12
  • Media Link 13
  • Media Link 14
  • Media Link 15
© 2023 Green Network Asia