Hutan Harapan is the name of the first production forest area in Indonesia that is managed to restore its ecosystem or known as ecosystem restoration (RE). This production forest management initiative has inspired the birth of more ecosystem restoration areas in an effort to save the remaining forests. Hutan Harapan is a reference for RE studies in Indonesia.

Ecosystem Restoration is an effort to restore the biological elements (flora and fauna) and non-biological elements (soil, climate, and topography) in an area to the original species, so as to achieve the biological balance and its ecosystem. According to the Minister of Forestry Regulation No. SK.159 / Menhut-II / 2004, ecosystem restoration activities can be carried out in the Production Forest area through a Business License for the Utilization of Timber Forest Products for Ecosystem Restoration (IUPHHK-RE).

Ecosystem restoration activities aim at: * restoration and enhancement of natural plant ecosystem forest diversity, * recovery, and improvement of natural forest productivity, * restoration and improvement of habitat quality, specifically selected habitat (key), * restoration of diversity and animal populations, especially selected animal populations (key), * recovery and improvement of hydrological function and control of soil erosion, * capacity building and participation of local communities in forest management (ecosystem restoration), * enhancing the economic potential of forests in the form of ecotourism, research, education and training for sources of funding for managing forest ecosystems, poverty alleviation (welfare) for communities and local and central government revenues, * institutional development of a forest management system based on biodiversity of production natural forest ecosystems with the participation (collaboration) of stakeholders, namely PT Reki, local communities, NGOs, universities, research institutions, the central government, and regional governments.