Balikpapan– PT Pertamina Hulu Kalimantan Timur (PHKT) is collaborating with the Balikpapan Botanical Garden and the Balikpapan Environmental Agency to support the development of a Seed Bank program. This initiative aims to preserve biodiversity and promote environmental sustainability as part of the Company’s commitment to applying Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. The program was launched at the Balikpapan Botanical Garden on October 18, 2024.

The Seed Bank program at Balikpapan Botanical Garden brings various benefits, including supporting research, enabling seed exchange with other botanical gardens, reintroducing endangered species, and cultivating rare plants. As such, this program is poised to play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, especially for plant species that are difficult to preserve using conventional methods.

A Seed Bank is a facility that stores various plant seeds in controlled conditions to ensure their survival and availability for future research, agriculture, and ecosystem restoration. This strategic effort aims to protect the genetic diversity of plants from extinction threats, allowing seeds to be stored long-term and preserving biodiversity for generations to come.

This initiative also benefits related institutions, such as the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and the Balikpapan Environmental Agency. The Balikpapan Botanical Garden itself is one of six BRIN-established botanical gardens in Indonesia with a Seed Bank network, alongside Jaganatha Botanical Garden in Bali, ITERA Botanical Garden in Lampung, Enkerang Botanical Garden in Sulawesi, Kuningan Botanical Garden in West Java, and Lemor Botanical Garden in West Nusa Tenggara.

As a form of support, PHKT provided equipment to facilitate the Seed Bank program, with the donation presented by PHKT’s HSSE Operations Manager, RS. Kinoturangga Nitikoesoemo, to Lukman Riyadi, a representative from the Balikpapan Environmental Agency. “The synergy between PHKT and Balikpapan Botanical Garden is a concrete step towards sustaining natural resources for future generations and preserving invaluable ecosystems,” said RS. Kinoturangga Nitikoesoemo.

Balikpapan Environmental Agency representative Lukman Riyadi also appreciated PHKT's support, making the Balikpapan Botanical Garden the first regional botanical garden to implement a Seed Bank program. “The Seed Bank itself is an innovative breakthrough and one of the most efficient conservation strategies as it requires minimal space, allows for long-term storage, preserves a high diversity of species, and facilitates genetic material provision,” he added.

PHI’s Communication Relations & CID Manager, Dony Indrawan, Separately emphasized that supporting this conservation program aligns with the Company’s commitment to ecosystem protection and sustainable development. “We hope the Seed Bank program will significantly contribute to ecosystem conservation and address threats to global biodiversity. This initiative is also expected to be the first step toward expanding the Seed Bank facility at Balikpapan Botanical Garden to a broader level,” said Dony.

According to him, the provision of production equipment reflects the Company’s tangible support for the Seed Bank program. “We believe collaboration in this program with various stakeholders, such as the Balikpapan Botanical Garden and the Environmental Agency, can have a lasting positive impact on environmental management,” Dony added.

PHKT continues to encourage all employees and stakeholders to work together to conserve the environment, support Pertamina and government policies in environmental conservation, and achieve net-zero emissions.

PT Pertamina Hulu Kalimantan Timur (PHKT) is a subsidiary of PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia (PHI) that manages upstream oil and gas operations by Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles in the East Kalimantan & Attaka Working Area in East Kalimantan. In collaboration with SKK Migas, PHKT and other PHI subsidiaries and affiliates carry out innovative Corporate Social Responsibility programs in the fields of Economy, Education, Health, Environment, Infrastructure, and Disaster Response to support sustainable community empowerment and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). PHI is headquartered in Jakarta. For more information about PHI, visit https://phi.pertamina.com.