Executive Summary

This case study examines a connection between rainforest conservation and affordable healthcare access in communities surrounding Gunung Palung National Park (GPNP) in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. It recognizes that human and environmental wellbeing cannot be seen as separate from one another. Specifically, it explores how deforestation impacts human health and well-being, and how implementing co-beneficial solutions can improve human health while protecting natural ecosystems. Finally, this case study highlights the importance of collaboration to achieve Planetary Health, both within communities and within organizational teams.

Featuring the work of U.S.-based NGO Health In Harmony and its Indonesian partner organization, Alam Sehat Lestari (ASRI), this case study details how a Planetary Health intervention that integrates medical care, conservation education, reforestation, and livelihoods training has had positive benefits on human health and the surrounding ecosystem. These benefits include a decrease in deforestation between 2008 and 2018 around the GPNP, and the opening of a medical clinic, which has served over 33,000 patients in that same time period.