An Integrated Landscape Approach for Socially Inclusive Peatland Restoration

Abstract

Successful restoration and fire prevention in peat landscapes require full rewetting and permanent revegetation for optimal water retention. The ecological and socio-economic heterogeneity of these landscapes calls for integrated approaches based on participatory zonation and locally appropriate business models. Primary activities in deep-peat core zones are blocking of drainage canals and revegetation; in shallow-peat buffer zones, forestry and agroforestry on fully rewetted peat, aquaculture, and duck farming; while on surrounding non-peat mineral soils, more intensive tree plantations and agriculture. Community-oriented enterprises require private investment, including microfinance. Blended public and private investment is needed for core-zone restoration. Assuming restoration costs of USD 250-1,000 per ha on moderately drained peat, with emissions of 40tCO2/ha/year, carbon finance could pay for the cost of restoration in under 10 years if emissions are fully or largely abated. To stimulate investment in multiple peatland landscapes we propose a provincial ‘enabling platform’ to support participatory zoning, project design, and monitoring based on common standards and methodologies; technical assistance and incubation for project start-up; multi-stakeholder support for enabling policies, plans and institutions; strengthened finance mechanisms and bundled investments for large and small enterprises; and robust scientific support and knowledge exchange.

Application of agroforestry business models to tropical peatland restoration

“…It is now widely recognized that many tropical hydrological peatland units or peat domes consist of a number of peat land types which can be categorized into land-use zones as a basis for restoration and protection. In recognition of these features, we along with others have promoted the development of a strategy for the sustainable management of tropical peatlands in Indonesia, based on an integrated approach to peatland management and restoration, across entire peat hydrological units (Peatland Restoration Agency 2016 ; Applegate et al 2018 ; Jessup et al 2020 ). An integrated approach to peatland management, including land-use zonation, across the whole of the hydrological unit allows for the whole-of-dome approach to water management aimed at rewetting drained areas by blocking the canals.…”

“…Maintaining water levels across all or most of the dome allows for limited access to the deep peat to conduct restoration works and promote the development of PSF tree species (Wichtmann et al 2016 ; GGGI 2018a ); and use of the shallow peat and surrounding mineral soils for agriculture and forestry for local income generation. The specific types of activity and zonation should be based on a participatory approach with the biophysical and social legitimacy formalized in local development plans (Jessup et al 2020 ). The biophysical zoning will need to consider hydrological conditions (such as water table depth), peat depth and degree of degradation, as defined by the terms used for the peat types as follows: Non-peat the term given to mineral soils, but can include “peaty” soils which contain an organically rich upper layer of less than 50 cm.…”

“…This zonation of peatlands and appropriate land uses, including agroforestry, are shown in a schematic of the integrated peatland restoration strategy (Fig. 1 ); originally outlined in Applegate et al ( 2018 ) and Jessup et al ( 2020 ) (Table 1 ).

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“…Ongoing land-use change and disturbance across Indonesia’s peatlands contribute approximately 60% of Indonesia’s overall GHG emissions (Peatland Restoration Agency 2016 ). Reducing the hydrological degradation and restoring these peatlands by “rewetting”—specifically, blocking and infilling the canals and, thus, raising water table levels and protecting the remaining natural vegetation cover often found in the central and deeper part of the peat dome—can significantly reduce GHG emissions (Dommain et al 2010 ; Dohong et al 2017 ; Jessup et al 2020 ), with reduced incidence of peat fires and protection of restored and remaining PSF (Giessen 2015 ; Applegate 2017 ).…”

Flooding tolerance of four tropical peatland tree species in a nursery trial

“…To facilitate the restoration of degraded Indonesian peatlands, canals that were initially built to transport logs have been replaced by deep channels to drain peat and to enable the conversion of the land for agricultural use. This drainage process accelerates peat oxidation, increasing CO 2 emissions and leading to subsidence, consequently increasing susceptibility to drought and fire and exacerbating downstream flooding risks [12,13,14]. On drained peatlands, farmers cultivate non-peatland species that are not adapted to wet condition.…”