Impact leaders: Tara Susanto, co-founder of Bumiterra

In this issue of the Juice Newsletter, we speak with Tara Susanto, co-founder of Bumiterra, a transparent, community-driven, and measurably impactful reforestation company. Their monthly subscription model lets businesses directly support reforestation projects while tracking real-time progress through a comprehensive public registry that documents every hectare restored, carbon sequestered, and community empowered.

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What is your core approach to reforestation, and how do you ensure transparency in your projects?

At Bumiterra, our approach to reforestation is grounded in creating a clear, measurable, and transparent impact. We use a monthly subscription model that allows businesses to directly support reforestation projects, and we’ve developed a comprehensive public registry to track our efforts. This registry is not just a list; it’s a living record that documents all the businesses we work with, the hectares reforested, and key metrics such as carbon sequestration and avoided emissions. For example, within six months of a project, we can calculate and display how much carbon the restored area has absorbed.

Transparency is integral to everything we do. Our platform provides detailed insights for stakeholders, including information on land ownership, caretakers, and the progress of reforested areas. By aligning with international standards like ISO 14064-2 and leveraging cutting-edge greenhouse gas accounting protocols, we ensure our data is robust and verifiable.

To enhance accuracy, we collaborate with a technology partner from Massachusetts who specializes in 3D modeling and advanced data verification. Although there’s still much work to be done, these models show us an optimistic future where we’ll be ableto map restoration progress and provide highly detailed visual representations of carbon absorption that gets better and better over time through their machine learning algorithm.

Additionally, we integrate this data with ground-level measurements conducted by our field teams in Indonesia. This combined approach provides  a second layer of verification and trains the machine learning models, and ensures that our metrics are not only reliable  and eventually, actionable for our stakeholders.Our commitment to transparency also extends to making these metrics publicly available. Clients and their customers can view how their contributions translate into tangible environmental benefits. Whether it’s the number of trees planted, the carbon sequestered, or the communities empowered, every detail is shared openly on the Bumiterra Registry. 

How do you address concerns about the sustainability of planted trees and potential land ownership changes?

That’s a valid concern. We’re addressing it by fostering accountability. Our projects involve local communities directly, and we create legally binding agreements to ensure the continuity of reforestation efforts. For instance, we certify land ownership for the communities we work with, helping them secure legal documents to protect their claims.

Legal agreements alone are not always sufficient, particularly when working with communities that are less accustomed to formalized structures. A more effective approach may lie in fostering self-policing and voluntary stewardship by emphasizing the tangible value of planted trees.

To this end, the species composition of our reforestation sites is carefully selected with the needs of indigenous and local communities in mind. By planting at least 25 biodiverse native tree species, such as Durian, Tengkawang, and Cempedak, we aim to enhance food security and provide long-term economic and cultural value. These high-value species encourage communities to nurture the trees, allowing them to mature and bear fruit. This not only secures a sustainable resource for current generations but also creates a legacy that can be passed down to their children, just as their ancestors have done for them.

Can you share more about your background and what led you to found Bumiterra?

My journey is quite unconventional. I don’t come from a scientific background, in fact, I swore off sciences after high school! My early career was in the consumer goods sector, focusing on beauty and wellness. But over time, I felt burnt out and unfulfilled.

Then I met my partner, James, who was already involved in carbon markets. Initially, I helped him with his work, but we soon realized the traditional carbon credit model lacked tangibility. It felt transactional, and we wanted to create a system where the impact of reforestation was immediate and visible. That’s how Bumi Terra was born. We decided to develop projects ourselves, making them transparent and deeply integrated with local communities.

This journey has been both challenging and rewarding, showing me the profound difference we can make by combining business and environmental stewardship. It also taught me that sustainability is about finding balance—between personal fulfillment, financial sustainability, and making a meaningful impact on the world.

How do you measure social impact within these communities?

Social impact is a cornerstone of our work. We use a framework based on community capacity—measuring financial, human, and political capacity improvements. Financially, we’ve seen income increases of 40-80% for participants in our programs. This is due to incentives like dividends from restored land and direct payments for tasks like collecting seedlings.

Politically, we help communities gain legal ownership of their land, which strengthens their position against external pressures. Socially, we’ve observed a rise in collaborative activities within communities. For example, even when one person officially owns a plot, their neighbors often join in to help with the reforestation process.

It’s a beautiful example of Indonesian “gotong royong”—mutual cooperation. These initiatives not only build stronger communities but also foster resilience and long-term sustainability. Beyond these direct metrics, the social fabric of these villages becomes stronger as people unite for a common cause, demonstrating that reforestation is not just an environmental action but a cultural and social one too.

Can you tell us a bit more about your work in Bali and the inspiration behind your reforestation efforts?

We just started exploring degraded land in Bali because of the rapid development happening here. It reminded me a lot of what we’ve seen in West Borneo—local communities being pressured to sell their ancestral lands for short-term financial gain. Often, these lands are sold for the development of another beach club or other ventures driven by investors who prioritize profits over the environment.

Our aim is to create synergy in Bali, but it’s challenging because land prices and market dynamics vary significantly across Indonesian islands. Still, I’m excited about this project—it’s a meaningful endeavor that not only protects natural habitats but also provides an opportunity to engage deeply with local communities and foster sustainable practices. Plus, personally, it’s a great reason to visit Bali more often!

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced with Bumiterra?

For me personally, the biggest challenge has been tuning out the noise and staying focused. Sustainability is a field where everyone has an opinion, and criticism can come from unexpected places, even within the community. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

I’ve learned to trust my gut and take time to make decisions. Building something meaningful requires patience and resilience. The work is physically and emotionally demanding—frequent trips to remote areas, long hours, and the constant push to do more.

But the rewards far outweigh the challenges, especially when I see the tangible impact of our efforts on both the environment and local communities. Overcoming these challenges has also been a personal growth journey for me—learning how to stay true to my vision, tune out unnecessary distractions, and prioritize the actions that will create the most impact.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about sustainability?

The biggest misconception about sustainability is that many people think it’s either overly complicated or unattainably expensive. This notion often deters individuals and businesses from taking meaningful action. People associate sustainability with large-scale, scientific processes or cutting-edge technologies, but in reality, it’s about consistent, practical steps that anyone can take. For example, in reforestation, the hard part isn’t the technical data, it’s the commitment to show up and follow through over months or even years. Sustainability requires resilience, persistence, and a long-term vision.

Another misconception is that it’s solely about the environment. While the ecological aspect is critical, sustainability is equally about people. At Bumiterra, we’ve learned that environmental restoration must go hand-in-hand with empowering local communities. For instance, our work isn’t just about planting trees, but about creating secure land ownership for local farmers, providing financial incentives, and building a sense of pride and ownership in reforestation efforts. Without these human-centered elements, sustainability efforts often fail to create lasting impact.

Additionally, many people assume sustainability is incompatible with profitability. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Businesses can build sustainability into their models and thrive financially. For example, by aligning reforestation projects with corporate CSR goals, we create a win-win situation where companies meet their ESG targets while funding impactful work. Sustainability doesn’t have to be a trade-off; it can amplify value when implemented thoughtfully.

Lastly, I think there’s an overemphasis on immediate results. Sustainability is inherently a long-term investment. It’s not about quick wins; it’s about creating systems that will endure and benefit future generations. People often expect tangible outcomes within a short time, but nature doesn’t work that way. It takes years to restore degraded land, develop community capacity, and see the full environmental benefits. Understanding this timeline is essential to avoid frustration and maintain the resolve to keep moving forward

What sets Bumiterra apart from other reforestation projects?

Bumiterra stands out because of its deeply integrated approach to transparency, community involvement, and measurable impact. Unlike many reforestation projects that focus solely on planting trees, we aim to restore ecosystems in ways that benefit both nature and people. Our public registry ensures full transparency by documenting every hectare reforested, every stakeholder involved, and key environmental metrics, such as carbon sequestration. This publicly accessible ledger sets a new standard for accountability in the industry.

A unique aspect of our work is empowering local communities. Instead of buying land and reforesting it ourselves, we help farmers and landowners regenerate their degraded land. We facilitate secure land ownership by assisting them in obtaining legal certifications, safeguarding their property while providing autonomy. Financial incentives like dividends and task-based payments make reforestation a sustainable livelihood option.

Technological innovation is another key factor. We collaborate with partners like Coolant, an MRV startup fresh off MIT & Harvard, now based in California – using advanced drones and 3D modeling systems to map rainforest terrains accurately. These tools are crucial for Indonesia’s complex ecosystems, where vines and canopies store significant carbon. Cross-referencing drone data with on-ground measurements ensures our metrics meet international standards, such as ISO 14064-2.

Our approach also aligns with modern business needs. Many of our clients, especially SMEs, seek measurable sustainability results to enhance their branding. Unlike generic tree-planting programs, we offer long-term monitoring and aftercare to ensure the success of reforested areas.

Lastly, reforestation is not just an environmental effort for us—it’s cultural. Our projects foster community relationships, encourage shared responsibilities, and revive traditional practices of land stewardship. This collaboration among neighbors creates a ripple effect, strengthening social bonds alongside environmental outcomes.

What’s next for Bumiterra?

Bumiterra’s next steps are centered around scaling our impact both regionally and internationally while maintaining our core values of transparency, community empowerment, and environmental stewardship. One of our main goals is to expand to more degraded areas in Indonesia, particularly in regions where deforestation has severely impacted local communities and biodiversity. We are also working on refining our data systems to enhance the accuracy and usability of our public registry.

On the technological front, we plan to deepen our collaboration with partners like Coolant to incorporate more advanced tools, such as machine learning algorithms, to predict long-term ecosystem recovery trends. This will allow us to create even more precise models for carbon sequestration and biodiversity restoration, further solidifying our credibility in the sustainability sector.

We are also exploring partnerships with academic institutions to conduct peer-reviewed studies on the social and environmental impacts of our projects. This research will provide valuable insights and help us improve our methodologies. For example, one of our employees is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Canada, focusing on how community capacities evolve in nature-based solutions. Findings like these will directly inform our strategies moving forward.

From a business perspective, we aim to attract more international clients who are committed to integrating sustainability into their operations. To support this, we’re planning a comprehensive marketing campaign to educate potential partners on the tangible benefits of aligning with Bumiterra. This includes showcasing the real-world outcomes of our projects, such as increased income for local farmers, enhanced land security, and measurable environmental improvements.

Lastly, we’re developing a training program for local communities to ensure the sustainability of our efforts even after our initial involvement ends.

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🍹 The Juice wrap-up

1. Transparency in reforestation is complex but essential

One key learning is that transparency in reforestation isn't just about sharing data—it's about building trust. It requires robust systems that can track and verify impact over time, from land ownership to carbon sequestration. Bumiterra’s approach highlights how crucial it is to go beyond surface-level reporting and invest in public, verifiable registries and cutting-edge technology to ensure that the impact is both measurable and credible.

2. The human side of sustainability is often underestimated

Sustainability conversations still tend to focus heavily on environmental metrics—like emissions reductions or biodiversity—but they often neglect the people behind the projects. Bumiterra’s work shows how transformative it can be when local communities are genuinely included and empowered. From income generation to land rights and cultural restoration, social impact isn’t a side benefit—it’s central to lasting environmental success.

At not so creative, we are dedicated to amplify impact through brand and marketing strategy. If you are interested to learn more head to our selected work page and learn more about what we do.