By Emily Khan

When I first set foot in Borneo, the heavy air thick with the scent of damp earth and the distant call of gibbons, I felt like I had arrived exactly where I was meant to be. My work here focuses on researching indigenous plant life, cataloging species that hold the potential for medicinal breakthroughs, and learning from local communities about sustainable land management. But if you had asked me a decade ago where I imagined myself, I would never have predicted that my path would lead here.

It was the stories of remarkable women, far from my small university lab in the U.K., that sparked a passion in me—a passion not just for science but for the intertwined narratives of people and the natural world. These were women like the all-female patrol teams in Indonesia’s Leuser Ecosystem and the brave female rangers in Nepal’s Chitwan National Park, who are quietly reshaping conservation efforts in Asia. Their courage, resilience, and unyielding commitment to preserving biodiversity against incredible odds inspired me to leave my comfort zone and dedicate my life to protecting the planet.

Today, I want to share their stories, not just because they inspire me but because they represent a movement—a quiet revolution led by women who are the unsung guardians of Asia’s wild places.

Nepal: Protectors of the Endangered

Nepal’s Chitwan National Park is a haven for endangered species like the Bengal tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, and gharial crocodile. Spanning over 932 square kilometers, it’s a biodiversity hotspot, but it’s also a battlefield for conservationists who face poachers, illegal loggers, and the challenges of human-wildlife conflict.

In 2019, during a global gathering of rangers in Nepal, the “Chitwan Declaration” was issued to promote inclusivity in the field of conservation. Female rangers, who had often been overlooked in the profession, began stepping forward in larger numbers. Today, women like Sita Gurung and her colleagues are proving that conservation is not just a man’s job.

As part of Nepal’s growing cohort of female rangers, Sita wakes before dawn, laces her boots, and begins her patrol through the dense Sal forests. She is armed not just with tools to monitor wildlife but with the knowledge that she is making a difference. Rangers like her are crucial in Nepal’s success story: the country has nearly doubled its tiger population since 2009, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

“It’s not just about protecting the animals,” Sita told a reporter from The Kathmandu Post. “It’s about protecting our culture, our home. When the forests thrive, we thrive.”

Indonesia: Indigenous Women Defending the Leuser Ecosystem

Thousands of miles away in Indonesia, another group of extraordinary women is rewriting what it means to be a conservationist. The Leuser Ecosystem, one of the last remaining places where tigers, elephants, orangutans, and rhinos coexist in the wild, spans over 6.5 million acres in northern Sumatra. It is also under constant threat from illegal deforestation, palm oil plantations, and poaching.

Here, the all-female patrol team known as Team Lingkar Temu, part of the Nuraga Bhumi Institute, works tirelessly to safeguard this fragile ecosystem. These Indigenous women, deeply connected to the land through generations of stewardship, patrol the forests on foot. They document illegal activities, dismantle traps set for animals, and collaborate with local authorities to bring offenders to justice.

One of their leaders, 28-year-old Yuni, spoke to The Guardian about their work: “The forest is our mother. It gives us life. When we see the damage being done, we cannot stand by. It is our responsibility to protect her.”

In 2023 alone, Team Lingkar Temu intercepted over 30 poaching incidents and assisted in the rehabilitation of injured animals. Their work is dangerous—encounters with armed poachers are not uncommon—but their determination is unwavering.

The Movement Beyond Borders

As I reflect on these stories from my own perch in Borneo, I see the ripple effects of their efforts stretching far beyond the forests they protect. Conservation is no longer about isolated heroes; it is about interconnected ecosystems and communities. In many parts of Asia, women are taking on leadership roles in conservation, supported by organizations like the International Ranger Federation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

According to a 2022 report from the UNDP, increasing the number of female rangers and conservationists directly correlates with improved community engagement and ecological outcomes. Women often act as bridges between scientific efforts and local traditions, fostering trust and collaboration in ways that male-dominated teams sometimes struggle to achieve.

But these women face unique challenges—gender bias, lack of access to resources, and the physical demands of their roles. Despite this, they persist. They are rewriting the narrative of who gets to protect the planet, proving that conservation is not just about science but about equity, inclusion, and shared responsibility.

The Importance of First Person Stories

For me, working in Borneo has been a journey of constant learning—not just about plants and ecosystems but about the people who dedicate their lives to conservation. The Indigenous communities here have shown me how deeply connected humans can be to the land, how every tree and stream holds meaning.

It’s this connection that fuels the women of Chitwan and Leuser, and it’s what drives me, too. They’ve taught me that conservation is not just about preserving what we have but about restoring what we’ve lost—our respect for the natural world, our understanding of its fragility, and our place within it.

Their stories remind us that conservation is not just the domain of scientists or policymakers. It belongs to all of us. Whether you’re a ranger in Nepal, a patrol leader in Sumatra, or a researcher like me in Borneo, we all have a role to play in safeguarding the planet for future generations.

As I type this, the rain has begun to fall outside my cabin, drumming softly on the leaves of the canopy above. It’s a sound that reminds me of the forest’s resilience—and of the people fighting to protect it.

To the women who inspired me to be here: thank you for showing me what it means to be a guardian of the wild.

Emily Khan is an environmental researcher based in Borneo, specializing in indigenous plant life and sustainable land management. Her work is inspired by her travels and the people she meets along the way. Her mission is to celebrate and recruit women working for and protecting our planet. Hers is part of an on-going series of first-person stories highlighting our changing world.