In Indonesia, we have helped protect terrestrial and marine areas through the direct implementation of programs, programs managed collaboratively between communities and government, and programs implemented through partnerships.
Detections and removals of snares and other signs of hunting from our SMART patrol teams are used to analyze encounter rate (detection per kilometer patrolled) and the reduction over time. A reduction in poaching is not only associated with increased SMART patrols but also with increased community-led participation and improvements in human well-being
80% REDUCTION IN POACHING
Deforestation rates are calculated through simple spatial analysis based on the spatial boundaries of each village. Between 1995-2015, our terrestrial sites in Indonesia underwent high rates of deforestation. Communities suffered from socioeconomic issues, poor government management, and unsustainable agriculture practices. Since 2015 we have seen deforestation decrease and this is also associated with an increase in community-led participation and improvements in human well-being and livelihoods.
70% REDUCTION IN DEFORESTATION
Land clearing and land violations are recorded by our SMART patrol teams and are used to analyze the encounter rate (detection per kilometer patrolled) and the reduction over time. Together with government officials, our SMART patrol teams have successfully zoned village protected areas, mimicking traditional boundaries, while improving our ability to work with local communities to provide clear and concise land use areas.
60% REDUCTION IN LAND CONVERSION
42% OF PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES ARE
WOMEN
85% OF PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES ARE INDIGENOUS
The use of organic alternatives is a key part of the transition to a Climate-Smart Agricultural model. It includes using organic herbicides, decomposer solutions, and dolomite lime (for soils with low pH) to create organic matter to feed rice and other crop plants after they are planted.
Not only do these techniques reduce land clearance, but they shorten the time from land preparation to harvest compared with other techniques, such as using fire. Farmers revealed indicators of more resilient livelihoods with reduced spending and increased yield.
SMALLHOLDER FARMERS HAVE REDUCED SPENDING BY 56% THROUGH USING ORGANIC ALTERNATIVES
Fishermen in Kubu Raya are seeing a temporary 29.7% improvement in yield from periodic closures. Each closure typically lasts three months and is an important natural resource management strategy in maximizing mud crab yield in mangrove forested areas. These closures allow the crabs to grow and reproduce which has both ecological and economic advantages. Implementing a few closures a year is an important mechanism for developing resilient livelihoods. Upon lifting the temporary reserve, our team of researchers conducted a simple experiment to compare the harvest rates of mud crabs between these temporarily closed rivers and open rivers. They collected data by setting traps in both study areas and counting and weighing the crabs caught for comparison.
29.7% TEMPORARY INCREASE IN HARVEST RATES FOR SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES
Planet Indonesia has pioneered an important strategy of nesting ‘resilience funds’ within governance bodies across terrestrial and marine sites. These resilience funds act as a community-driven and built savings & loans system. Through resilience funds individuals can access zero-interest loans for a variety of productive purposes (e.g. health, education, individual business, etc). In addition, groups of individuals can apply for business loans to kick-start communal business groups to enhance and strengthen local livelihoods. Data is collected by communities.
USD $214,000 TOTAL FUNDS SAVED IN COOPERATIVES TO SUPPORT LOCAL REGENERATIVE ECONOMIES
Using Climate Smart Agriculture and Agroforestry techniques enhances soil nutrition and fertility while also regenerating degraded forest lands and ensuring food security. It is crucial for building community resiliency against climate shocks. We work with communities to train peer-selected farmers who go on to lead farmer mentor groups, enabling fast sharing of information about improved techniques. Additionally, we have supported communities to select and plant over 70,000 seedlings of native species in the buffer zones in terrestrial sites and restore abandoned aquaculture ponds in coastal sites.
493 HECTARES UNDER IMPROVED CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURAL PRACTICE IN GUNUNG NYIUT
Working with the Woodwell Climate Research Center, we undertook a geospatial analysis to calculate the carbon sequestration of the Gunung Nyiut Penrissen Forest Complex over the last two decades and analyze the changes. Thanks to a reduction in deforestation and agroforestry and tree planting in degraded forest areas there has been a significant gain in aboveground carbon density. In 2015 the forests in this protected area became a carbon sink thanks to the communities we support and their village-led conservation efforts.
51 MILLION TONS OF CARBON SEQUESTERED IN GUNUNG NYIUT
Indonesia is the second largest source of GHG emissions from forests after Brazil. Estimates suggest that more than 43% of the country’s emissions arise from land-use change driven by forest conversion, fires, and land burning. We have begun working with small-scale farmers in our terrestrial sites through our Fire Free Village Program to reduce GHG emissions from fire and forest loss. This is tied to the use of organic alternatives and further climate-smart agricultural techniques. We will use local reporting, smart patrol, and spatial analysis to analyze fire use in this area over time.
sOCIALIZATION HAS BEGUN WITH FARMERS TO reducE THE USE OF fiRE in Gunung NyiuT
The data below allows you to explore our journey and impact over time in greater detail.
Our Published Research
Read a selection of our published works that advance the scientific evidence of our community-led approach.
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