Palangka Raya, Indonesia – International collaboration took center stage at the “International Workshop on Peatland Bio-reforestation Practices in Asia,” held on 19-20 February 2025 at Palangka Raya, the heart of Indonesia’s peatlands. Organized by PT Abhinaya Carva Utama with support from EarthCare Foundation, the event convened 52 participants and 13 speakers from China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
Peatlands, storing twice as much carbon as global forests, provide vital climate solutions by regulating water flows, reducing flood and drought risks, preventing seawater intrusion, and protecting biodiversity and communities. On the other hand, the degradation and overexploitation of peatlands through logging, land conversion, water draining, and burning release vast amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming.
The workshop aimed to address the challenges by sharing best bio-reforestation practices for peatlands, raising awareness of their critical role in restoring vast degraded peatlands across Asia, and enhancing participants’ implementation capacity.
Prof. Dr. Ir. Mamam Turjaman, D.E.A. (PIC), Principal Investigator of the Bio-reforestation in Degraded Tropical Peatland Empower Local Communities with Climate Change in Indonesia project, provided an overview of the workshop by introducing the 4N Concept, a sustainable peatland restoration framework. The 4N Concept stands for No Burning, No Plastic, No Chemical Fertilizer, and No Alien Species, prioritizing the planting of indigenous peatland species.
Prof. Shengzong Wang from China’s Northeast Normal University (NENU) highlighted key methods for peatland restoration, including raising the water table, remodeling the soil profile structure, and combining sexual and asexual propagation (e.g. sphagnum moss planting). Citing restoration efforts in the Changbai Mountains, he emphasized the importance of structural recovery for degraded peatland ecosystems.
Another groundbreaking approach, Aero-Hydroculture (AHC), was introduced by Prof. Mitsuru Osaki, Ph.D, President of Japan Peatland Society and Professor Emeritus of Hokkaido University. This method revolutionizes cultivation in water-saturated peatlands by eliminating the need for destructive drainage systems. Instead, AHC mimics natural peatland ecosystems by maintaining high groundwater levels through storage-oriented water management and supplementing nutrients and oxygen via natural composts, biochar, and microbial treatments. Mr. Eric Verchius of Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) University confirmed that this method improves long-term productivity, noting stronger arbuscular mycorrhizae associations and better soil composition even four years after application.
The microbial approach was further expounded by Dr. Zakry Fitri Bin Ab Aziz of Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus (UPMKM). He underscored bioaugmentation – adding specific beneficial microbes to peatlands, such as methane-eating bacteria, to reduce emissions and improve soil stability, biostimulation – encouraging existing microbes to thrive by enriching the soil with organic matter, mycorrhizal inoculation – partnering fungi with plants to enhance their survival and growth, and microbial consortia – creating a mix of microbes that work together to improve soil health and carbon sequestration.
Prof. Nguyen Vo Chau Ngan of Can Tho University underscored the importance of water balance calculations in peatland management. He explained that precise ground elevation mapping helps divide areas into sub-zones for effective water control, preventing destructive practices like drag canals that accelerate peat oxidation and fires.
Meanwhile, Researcher Le Phat Quoi of the Center for Environmental Science and Ecology (CESE) outlined Vietnam’s government-led strategies for protecting the U Minh Region and Mekong Delta peatlands. These include legal designations as nature reserves, integrated fire and water management, sustainable agro-ecological farming, and community-based conservation efforts.
Thailand’s approach to peatland protection includes surveillance and local participation. Forester Prasit Satirawanit, Chief of the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary, highlighted the success of SMART Patrols in deterring illegal activities like wildlife hunting and deforestation.
Dr. Kobsak Wanthongchai of Katsetsart University, Thailand, emphasized community-driven restoration, citing the Kuan Kreng Peat Swamp recovery as a model. Key factors include fostering local ownership, leveraging traditional knowledge, applying technology, and fostering cross-sector collaboration. This is affirmed by Dr. Ir. Adi Jaya, M.Si. of the Center for International Cooperation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatland (CMTROP), by stressing the integration of indigenous practices in peatland management like tidal-based irrigation, water conservation systems, and sustainable land preparation methods.
Workshop participants extended their learning beyond the conference hall with a firsthand look at peatland restoration initiatives in Central Kalimantan. At the Campeat KHDTK Tumbang Nusa research area, they observed the thriving restoration of a 50-hectare peatland where mycorrhizae, a symbiotic fungus, was pioneered to enhance native species growth.
In Tumbang Tahai Village, the participants toured the 20 hectares of peatland owned by local farmers undergoing bio-reforestation under the 4N Concept. They also witnessed a hands-on demonstration in the production of compost pots intended for growing forest and crop seedlings. The moulded pots, made of azolla pinnata, chicken manure, and shredded crop residues with EM4 as decomposer and cow dung as binder, effectively changed the landscape in the nurseries nearby, where plastic bags are no longer used.
Other highlights include the vegetable demonstration plots, where local farmers, previously inexperienced in peatland horticulture, achieved remarkable success. All trial crops yielded high-quality harvests, proving the viability of peatland agriculture.
Adjacent to the crops, a kelulut (stingless bee) honey production site demonstrated another sustainable livelihood opportunity. Honey harvesting trials yielded an average of 276 ml per month per hive, providing valuable data for future apiculture initiatives. Dr. Mahani, SP., M.Si., Faculty of Agroindustrial Technology, Universitas Padjadjaran, West Java said that stingless bee is easy to cultivate, enhances pollination of agroforestry crops, and increases community income. He said that a colony of stingless bee can produce a maximum of 1 kg of honey per month, valued at 110,000 to 700,000 IDR.
In the village’s ditches is a silvofishery demonstration plot, combining aquaculture and agroforestry. Here, drainage ditches are converted into fish cultivation ponds, with fruit trees (bananas, petai, guava, and matoa) planted along the embankments. One floating net cage is also demonstrated in the deeper parts of the ditch.
Although the agroecological and silvicultural pilots are still in their early stages, the initial successes and the potential for success in raising crops and fish in the peatlands can already be replicated in other peatland regions, fostering a vital co-existence between sustainable livelihoods and peatland ecosystems.
The two-day workshop concluded with a brief closing ceremony at Campeat.
Overall, the event reinforced the shared commitment of actors and researchers across Asia to advance bio-reforestation as a key strategy for restoring degraded peatlands. By bringing together representatives from countries facing similar climate challenges, it facilitated the exchange of practical experiences and fostered mutual learning on integrating technological innovation, robust science, and meaningful community engagement. It also outlined a clear path forward, aligning with ECF’s mission to support impactful collaborations that protect biodiversity, climate, and livelihoods.