Peatland restoration & conservation in Indonesia

Katingan and Kotawaringin Timur districts, Central Kalimantan, Borneo
The project's carbon credits are available through off-take. This peatland restoration and conservation project operates under the Verra (VCS) standard and focuses on protecting and restoring 149,800 hectares of tropical peat swamp forest in the districts of Katingan and Kotawaringin Timur, Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. The project safeguards one of the largest remaining intact peat swamp forests in Indonesia, an ecosystem that stores vast amounts of carbon below ground, but which releases significant greenhouse gas emissions when dr...Read more
Certified carboncredits
54
carbon credits invested

Location

Facts & figures

Operations

Operations

Operations

  • REDD+/ARR project (avoided deforestation, peatland rewetting and reforestation) combined with agroforestry and livelihood components

  • Crediting period: 2010 - 2070 (60 years, renewable)

  • VCS (Verified Carbon Standard) and CCB Standards (Third Edition) certified

  • Methodology: VCS VM0007 (Modular methodology for REDD projects)

  • Located in Katingan and Kotawaringin Timur Districts, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

  • Total project area: 149,800 hectares of peat swamp forest

  • Land held under a 60-year Ecosystem Restoration Concession (ERC) license from the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry, extendable to 100 years

  • Wider project zone covers 34 villages and around 43,000 people, no permanent settlements inside the project area itself

  • Reforestation (4,433 ha) through community-led agroforestry, fire-break planting and intensive reforestation in degraded non-forest areas

  • Peatland rewetting through canal blocking and dam construction

  • Fire prevention through community-staffed firefighting teams, early warning systems and monitoring posts

  • Forest ranger patrols and community-led monitoring against illegal logging, poaching and encroachment

  • Conservation pursued through participatory community mapping, village-level planning and FPIC processes

  • Local communities trained in carbon MRV, fire suppression, nursery management, peat hydrology, participatory planning, conflict mediation and biodiversity survey methods

  • Baseline established through social and ecological field surveys, reviewed and updated through periodic monitoring

Socio-economic impact

Socio-economic impact

Socio-economic impact

  • Improved incomes reported across a significant share of project-zone communities

  • Full-time jobs created locally, alongside substantial seasonal and casual work opportunities throughout the year

  • Community members trained extensively, particularly in fire prevention and microfinance, with strong female participation

  • Formal employment offered above regional wage standards, with an equal pay for equal work policy enforced

  • Microfinance and vocational training expanded for women, supporting leadership roles within microfinance groups

  • Improved access to healthcare for community members and children across the project zone

  • Water and sanitation improved through well installation and removal of river latrines

  • Environmental education integrated into local school curricula

  • Livelihoods diversified through agroecology, ecotourism and non-timber forest product development alongside carbon revenue

Ecological impact

Ecological impact

Ecological impact

  • Largely intact peat swamp forest protected within a key biodiversity area

  • Rare and endangered species recorded, including the Bornean Orangutan and Sunda Pangolin

  • Forest cover maintained and partly recovered

  • Degraded areas reforested, supported by natural forest regrowth nearby

  • Canals blocked and peatland rewetted, reducing drought and fire risk

  • No large-scale fires during the monitoring period

  • Ongoing patrols against illegal logging, encroachment and poaching

  • Better water quality and downstream benefits from forest and peat protection

1 No poverty
2 Zero hunger
3 Good health and well-being
4 Quality education
5 Gender equality
6 Clean water and sanitation
8 Decent work and economic growth
13 Climate action

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