New collaborative research projects support Indonesian peatlands while sustaining livelihoods

Indonesia has the largest tropical peatlands in the world and Central Kalimantan is home to 19% of Indonesia’s peatlands. These peatlands are a crucial resource for local and indigenous communities, who have deep physical and cultural connection to them. Unfortunately, less than 5% of these peatlands remain intact, significantly affecting the livelihood options for these communities and threatening the unique biodiversity and globally important ecological services provided by these environments. 

ACIAR is funding 2 collaborative research projects supporting peatland restoration in the Central Kalimantan province. The projects are aiming to develop knowledge and capacity to support local communities in building sustainable livelihoods in the changing forest environments. These 2 projects contribute to an existing suite of interdisciplinary ACIAR-supported projects focused on peatland restoration and management.  

‘The peatlands of Indonesia are an incredibly important global resource,’ said ACIAR General Manager Research, Dr James Quilty. ‘They have amazing biodiversity and are a huge store of carbon. But they face incredible challenges from climate change and human activity.’  

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In these 5-year projects, teams of Australian and Indonesian researchers from a variety of institutions, led by the University of Melbourne and RMIT University, will use participatory research methods to collect ecological, biophysical, and social data. This means they’ll learn from and with communities, including vulnerable and marginalised individuals, and empower them to share stories. These methods help ensure the project achieves lasting benefits.  

Putting community needs at the centre of research for global impact 

Project leader with the University of Melbourne, Dr Andrea Rawluk, said centring community needs, perspectives and aspirations in restoration activities is critical to their success. ‘We proudly bring together a collaborative team of gender, livelihood and environmental management expertise to co-lead this ‘Pambelum Bahalap’ project that is guided by an ethic of shared learning, and community and early-career capacity building. We look forward to the project identifying transferable lessons for supporting community wellbeing and livelihoods in the restoration of degraded peatlands and serving long-term, local sustainable livelihood outcomes.’ 

Project leader with RMIT University, Dr Samantha Grover, said the ‘Gambut Baru’ project aims to identify and create the biophysical information required by both community and government to equitably and sustainably restore, monitor and manage Indonesia’s tropical peatlands. ‘Peatlands are an amazing asset to Indonesia and the world, as they are the most carbon dense ecosystems on earth and have the capacity to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it for thousands of years. The whole planet needs Indonesia to succeed in its goal of nationwide peatland restoration. Our carefully designed, locally embedded research program is providing the foundational knowledge required to do this in a way that will enable local and indigenous communities to be recognised and financially rewarded for stewarding these precious landscapes.’ 

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Local partner and Chief of the University of Palangka Raya's Centre for International Co-operation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatland, Dr Ir Adi Jaya, said collaboration of various parties involved in research projects and the development of peatlands is needed to maintain the ideal functions of peat ecosystems for the global community as well as communities living around the peat area.  

‘The research conducted through the ‘Gambut Baru’ project will complement knowledge about peat ecosystems. It includes the conservation of peat ecosystems that are still in good condition and the restoration of degraded peat ecosystems,’ said Dr Jaya. 

Peatland Research Initiative: A long term, multi-year initiative 

The projects are part of ACIAR’s long-term, multiyear Peatland Research Initiative (PRI) commitment to Indonesia, working together to improve Indonesia’s peatland restoration efforts. ‘Pambelum Bahalap’ (meaning ‘good life’ in the local language of Dayak Ngaju) and ‘Gambut Baru’ (Indonesian for ‘new peat’) are collaborative efforts between the University of Melbourne, RMIT University, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Universitas Palangka Raya, and the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. 

Under the PRI, various social and environmental monitoring activities are being carried out. These focus on restoring peatland and primary forest areas, identifying peatland policy governance structures and constraints in Central Kalimantan and identified peat fire control in a wider coverage area. 

‘Australia is proud to work with Indonesia in this complex body of work to try to understand the environmental conditions of the peat and how the community can manage the peat to gain benefits in support of their food security and livelihoods,’ said Dr Quilty, expressing hope that ACIAR can continue to work with Indonesia to address the vision for restored peatlands for years to come. 

Learn more about these ACIAR projects: (SSS/2022/155) ‘Gambut Baru’: Developing co-management options for sustainable peatland livelihoods in Indonesia  | (SLAM/2022/104) Pambelum Bahalap’: Meeting the biophysical information needs of peatland restoration and management stakeholders to support improved and integrated decision-making