Dr. Harri Vasander - UNIHEL

RESTORATION OF TROPICAL PEATLANDS –

THE GREATEST CHALLENGE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

EU INCO-DEV STRAPEAT PROJECT

STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF

PEATLAND IN BORNEO

FIRE-RELATED POLICY PROBLEMS ARE DEFINED AS

- SMOKE HAZE POLLUTION

- FOREST DEGRADATION AND DEFORESTATION

- NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE RURAL SECTOR

Smoke haze pollution and carbon emissions are due mainly to intentional and escaped fires in peatland areas.

Peatland restoration aims to bring back a naturally functioning, self-sustaining ecosystem or reinitiate the peat-forming processes.

In peatlands the two key components are hydrologyand carbon sequestration.

RESTORATION

Raise the water table – ”zipper method” used in Finlandwhen peat from ditch banks haspartly “vanished”. Thus filling-in theditches totally is impossible.

Overall objective:

Formerly degraded peatlands havecontinuous forest cover with a highbiodiversity value. Re-establishedforests provide economically valuableincome sources. Tropical peat coveredareas are secured carbon stores and sinks.

Project purpose

- provide techniquesfor the restoration ofhydrology and vegetationin degraded peatland areas

Indicators

Hydrology is restored andsuccession leading to vegetationrecovery is started on a formerlydegraded area.

Project purpose

- Established modelarea exemplifyingmeans to prevent carbon losses fromdegraded PSF throughhydrology restoration and re-forestation.

Indicators

Guidelines for comparablerestoration projects areavailable.

Project purpose

- Lower and revertcarbon emissions fromand decrease danger of fires in formerly degradedpeat.

Indicators

Guidelines for comparablerestoration projects areavailable.

Sources of verification for all:

Survey and research reports,and publications.

Assumptions:

- Provincial and Local Governments will embrace the project.- Central Government Ministries and Agencies will give support.- Suitable local Indonesian personnel can be found.

Conclusions

True attempts must be made to prevent further carbonlosses in degraded ex-PLG peatland area by re-establishing high water table –based hydrology, and byseeking ways re-establishing of ecologically andeconomically beneficial vegetation in model areas.

Without those true attempts, in ENSO years, degradedpeatlands are the most significant risk factor for firesand the generation of smoke haze.

There is a need to consider whether conservation of peatlands should be included in the second commitment period of the Kyoto protocol.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION