First Climate visits a pioneering climate project in Central Kalimantan Province
To safeguard the integrity, quality, and climate benefits of the climate projects we work with, our experts regularly travel to locations all over the world. The most recent site visit took members of the First Climate project development team to Central Kalimantan Province, where a pioneering REDD+ project is centered around peatland and mangrove conservation.
In Central Kalimantan, an Indonesian province on the island of Borneo, peatland drainage, illegal deforestation, and frequent forest fires have left detrimental traces, and in particular, have led to a decline in peatland and mangrove belts. Since 2023, a REDD+ project has been active in Central Kalimantan. The project is committed to restoring and protecting local ecosystems through reforestation, monitoring, and fire prevention measures. It aims to enable both emission reductions and long-term carbon storage through the reforestation and assisted natural regeneration of peatlands and mangrove forests (Blue Carbon) including activities to protect and maintain biodiversity therein.
The project activities extend over a peatland and mangrove ecosystem with an area of around 23,000 ha in Central Kalimantan. As part of the project, rewetting measures of the peatlands were conducted and mangrove breeding stations were set up. Peatlands consist of 90% water and 10% organic matter – and can therefore store large amounts of carbon. If the peat is drained, the associated carbon is released into the atmosphere making the peatland a source and emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG). One main activity of the project is blocking water channels in the peatland to halt drainage, allowing the bodies of water to expand.
Protecting biodiversity and preventing wild forest fires
Nearly 367 species' habitats are threatened by historic and ongoing deforestation. Therefore, the preservation of local biodiversity is also a central element of the project. Wildlife cameras are being installed in the forests to observe and monitor vulnerable species such as Bornean orangutans, white-bearded gibbons, and proboscis monkeys.
Another focus is preventing forest fires: for example, fire prevention patrols are being deployed and fire watchtowers are being built to monitor the forest area. In addition, three automatic weather stations have already been set up to record local weather data to prevent further fire outbreaks. The construction of further stations is planned.
The project is being implemented in close cooperation with local residents in the surrounding communities. Among other things, there is also cooperation in coffee production, which is an important livelihood for the people in the project region. Through the financial support of the project, training courses on the proper handling and use of organic fertilizer are being offered and improved sales structures of the coffee are being establish. Since the start of the project, coffee production capacities have already been doubled; the project is thus contributing to economic development in the region.
First-hand project insights
The travelling team of the experts from the project development team, namely Lina Avila, Juliana Cañas Vanegas, Yves Keller, and Wolfang Brückner, included, among other things, visits to various parts of the project management area, where they collected data about the current progress. The agenda included discussions with local project employees and communities, and a tour of a peatland breeding station.
In order to be able to record the progress of the various measures to date, drones were used to take pictures, especially in zones which are hard to access. “It was remarkable to gain first-hand impressions of the positive impacts of the project. For example, thanks to the drone footage, we were able to clearly see the extent of deforestation and, in contrast, the border with the protected and reforested peatland – seeing it was alarming and encouraging at the same time," recalls Juliana Cañas Vanegas, Senior Project Manager, Nature-Based Solutions at First Climate. "Impressions like these reinforce the urgency and significance of projects like this and show their impact on the preservation of valuable natural ecosystems."
It was remarkable to gain first-hand impressions of the positive impacts of the project. For example, thanks to the drone footage, we were able to clearly see the extent of deforestation and, in contrast, the border with the protected and reforested peatland – seeing it was alarming and encouraging at the same time. Impressions like these reinforce the urgency and significance of projects like this and show their impact on the preservation of valuable natural ecosystems. –Juliana Cañas Vanegas, Senior Project Manager, Nature-Based Solutions at First Climate
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