BONN, Germany (Landscape News) — In discussions about landscapes, peatlands play a significant role. Despite covering only 3 to 5 percent of the earth’s surface, peatlands can be found all over the world from permafrost regions to tropical rainforests to coastal areas. Peatlands are also estimated to hold more than 30 percent of the world’s soil carbon stocks, making their protection vital in efforts to limit global warming.
Daniel Murdiyarso, senior scientist and peatlands specialist at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) will lead a Landscape Talk on this key environmental feature on Dec. 19 at the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) conference in Bonn, Germany.
Ahead of the GLF, Daniel spoke about his upcoming talk, how peatlands fit into the larger landscapes picture, future goals for peatlands and challenges:
Q: What will you be discussing at the GLF?
A: The discussion will start with the Global Wetlands Map, which is produced by CIFOR. We will make use of the information to locate tropical peatlands across the globe and then zoom in on Indonesia, particularly Central Kalimantan. We will show the relationship between precipitation and soil water content with regards to the effort to re-wet degraded peatlands.
Q: Will this Landscape Talk be like a continuation or expansion on the previous GLF: Peatlands Matter conference?
A: At GLF Peatlands we covered a lot of ground based on the newly released map. This time, we want to show how to use the map for a particular action, including peatland restoration following verification of the map using ground-based data.
Q: How do peatlands fit into the landscapes approach?
A: Peatlands are multi-faceted landscapes where biophysical processes interplay with human activities to utilize the resources within. The wise and sustainable use of tropical peatlands should be viewed in a landscape approach.
Q: You will be covering peatland restoration in Indonesia during your Landscape Talk, what are some of the newest updates and developments in this area?
A: Indonesia has a very ambitious target in restoring the degraded peatlands. It is expected that by 2020, more than 2 million hectares of degraded peatlands will be restored. We would like to propose what some of the priorities should be along the lines of the adoption of criteria and indicators of successful restoration.
Q: What are the biggest challenges now when it comes to the management of peatlands?
A: Managing peatlands should be linked with a number of objectives, including those belonging to the community. However, the most challenging one is governance issues and associated law enforcement. These are usually related with tenure and land ownership and titling.
Related reading:
CIFOR Peatlands content package
Managing peatlands in Indonesia: Challenges and opportunities for local and global communities
New map reveals more peat in the tropics
The Sustainable Wetlands for Mitigation and Adaptation Program (SWAMP) Toolbox
Managing peatlands in Indonesia: Challenges and opportunities for local and global communities
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