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Indonesia: Ectomycorrhizal Fungus Cultivation for the Afforestation and Reforestation of Tropical Peat Swamp Forests

Project Date:

June 2018 – June 2023

Partners:

The Mushroom Initiative

Background

Peatlands are capable of absorbing and storing huge amounts of carbon dioxide known as carbon sinks. In the tropics, peat swamp forests are created when saturated soils or frequent flooding cause organic matter to decay slowly, resulting in soils that are rich in organic material that has accumulated over time.

These carbon-water complexes act like giant sponges, absorbing water and storing large amounts of carbon. Depending on the age and soil depth of the forest, they can exceed the carbon sink capacity of nearby lowland deep forests on mineral soils by a factor of 10 to 20. It makes them one of the strongest natural planetary tools to regulate the global carbon cycle and combat climate change.

However, these vital reserves are now at risk due to human activities such as illegal logging, fires, agricultural land reclamation, and the expansion of palm oil and rubber plantations. The trend has only been further exacerbated as a result of climate impacts, such as warmer temperatures and droughts.

As a result, we are seeing massive reductions in surface carbon sinks. Despite the fact that 90% of the carbon in peat swamp forests is stored underground, it remains an overlooked factor in our environmental calculations when they are destroyed and lost. Beyond environmental harms, the decline of tropical peat swamp forests has far-reaching impacts on human communities.

As it stands, Indonesia is home to as much as 45% of the world’s tropical peatlands. Peat swamp forests span far and wide in the country, covering open lowlands between major rivers in Sumatra (8.3 million hectares), Kalimantan (6.8 million hectares), and Papua (4.6 million hectares). Despite being a peatland-rich nation, these figures are steadily declining—particularly over the past 20 years.

This loss, driven by the aforementioned human-driven activities, have resulted in the substantial release of carbon emissions and loss of biodiversity. As a response to this worrying trend, the Indonesian government has developed a national action plan to accelerate the restoration of degrading peat swamp forests.

The challenge, however, lies in the difficult nature of restoring these carefully-balanced ecosystems. Afforestation and reforestation in these regions require delicate selection of tree species and the production of high-quality saplings to safeguard high survival rates. To tackle this arduous task of restoring peat swamp forests in Indonesia, ECF supported this programme led by the Mushroom Initiative.

Central to rehabilitation efforts was the application of mycorrhizal fungi, which improved growth rates in indigenous tree species. Given the increasing degradation of peatlands globally, the solutions and lessons learned from this project served as valuable models for future replication in similar peatland ecosystems.

Project Features

This five-year project was conducted with three key objectives in mind. Firstly, demonstration sites had to be set up across tropical peat swamp forests for seedlings to be inoculated with local mycorrhizal fungi. Suitable mycorrhizal fungi were identified and preserved, chosen specifically for the restoration of Indonesia’s native peat swamp forests.
Additionally, there was a strong emphasis on minimising other unsustainable practices in peatlands. Our programme partners, therefore, led numerous educational and awareness-raising campaigns to encourage the transition away from plastics, burning and fertilisers. To swap out harmful alternatives, fully biodegradable organic materials such as prune grass, a local plant that thrives in peat swamps, were used. Communities were also educated on the dangers that introducing exotic or invasive species would bring to the ecosystem.
Secondly, there was an aim for these sites to serve as pilots to test the efficacy of mycorrhizal fungi inoculation methods in restoration. For this reason, laboratory analyses of swamp forests were conducted prior, during and after the project to continuously track the efficacy of plant-fungi symbiosis, which showed enhanced nutrient uptake and accelerated restoration.
Finally, the initiative aimed to use findings to address key research gaps in carbon stock data and to demonstrate the potential impact that mycorrhiza could have in future reforestation and afforestation efforts. Annual carbon sink measurements were conducted to monitor the changes in carbon stocks in the targeted areas, which then quantified the impact that the interventions had on local carbon sequestration.
To further widen the scope and durability of the project, multi-stakeholder workshops were held over the course of five years. Annual capacity-building courses, for example, provided local forestry officials with technical training. Other participants such as nursery workers and farmers were also engaged to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of reforestation efforts.

Project Outcomes

In South Sumatra and Central Kalimantan, approximately 26 tree species were planted on native peatlands with a success rate in excess of 70%. This translated to the restoration of roughly 115.6 hectares of tropical peatland, surpassing the programme’s initial target of 100 hectares.
Having garnered the active participation of local peatland communities, many were able to witness first-hand the ecological, social, and economic benefits of peatland restoration. This was possible as a result of the project’s emphasis on community engagement throughout its restoration efforts. This effectively demonstrated the importance of local, context-specific solutions that integrate grassroots concerns for the long-term sustainable management of our natural ecosystems—benefiting people and the planet simultaneously.