AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT - Science for Agriculture and Rural Development in Low-income Countries - page 66

Box 3. Restoration of tropical peatland, RESTORPEAT

Large areas of globally important tropical peatland in South-east Asia are under threat from
land clearance, degradation and fire, jeopardizing their natural functions as reservoirs of
biodiversity, carbon stores and hydrological buffers. Many development projects on tropical
peatlands have failed through a lack of understanding of the landscape functions of these
ecosystems. Utilization of this resource for agriculture or plantation crops requires drainage
which, unavoidably, leads to irreversible loss of peat through subsidence, resulting in
severe disturbance of the substrate and creating problems for cultivation.
The RESTORPEAT project, a follow-up of STRAPEAT, aims at restoring degraded
tropical peatlands and promote wise use via sustainable management strategies
integrating biophysical, hydrological and socio-economic dimensions. It specifically seeks
to implement the strategies for practical implementation in peatland areas in Borneo. Local
research capability is strengthened, enabling peatland managers to better understand and
address the different, interrelated processes operating in tropical peatlands. The work
started in 2005 and will finish in 2007.
The overall objectives of the project are to:

Coordinate international activities that address global and regional issues of carbon
balance, water management, biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation related
to restoration and management of tropical peatland;

•

Provide access to existing knowledge and expertise and conduct targeted research on
restoration of tropical peat swamp forest to promote sustainable livelihoods of local
people;

•

Provide a scientific and technological framework for knowledge transfer and human
capacity development related to restoration of tropical peatland to the benefit of the EC
and DCs.

•

The five priority areas for research are:

1. Restore tropical peatland by re-creating environmental conditions for reinstatement of
ecological and natural resource functions and promote integrated, multiple land use to
minimize damage to the peat carbon store and maximize potential for carbon
sequestration.
2. Promote sustainable livelihoods for members of local communities to alleviate poverty
and protect and enhance natural resources.
3. Develop a fire hazard warning system for forest and peatland, based on remote
sensing and linked to local community awareness, prevention and suppression
measures, so that peatland restoration can be effective.
4. Forge partnerships between local communities, local governments, DC Government
Agencies, NGOs, international experts and other stakeholders to promote restoration
and sustainable management of tropical peatland natural resources and ensure
sustainability of the project objectives and outputs in the DCs after EU funding ends.
5. Transfer knowledge of peatland restoration from EC partners to DCs by appropriate
information dissemination activities, case studies and training programmes.