Restoring the Heartbeat of the Forest: A Hydrologist's Journey in Peatland Conservation

Deep within the vast and tranquil forests of Central Kalimantan, a critical restoration effort is taking place. Disconnected from the hustle of city life, daily news headlines and social media buzz, a group of hydrologists are working hard to restore Indonesia’s most valuable ecosystem, its peatlands.

While peatlands may appear as a simple wetland, they are in fact one of the most efficient carbon stores on Earth. Often referred to as “carbon sponges”, they are responsible for preventing the release of vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and play a key role in regulating earth’s climate.

Water is the heartbeat of restoration

Central to all of this is water. Peatlands function best when wet. As the ecosystem remains saturated, it enables the plant material to decompose over time, allowing the carbon to be stored in the soil.

"Water is the driving force of all nature” – Leonardo da Vinci

But when the peatlands are drained and exposed in the name of human convenience, they dry out and begin to breakdown, releasing the stored carbon into atmosphere in a form of CO2.

Restoring peatlands is more than just simply putting an end to harmful and unsustainable practices - it’s also about effective water management. This is where the work of hydrologists is indispensable.

Unsung heroes

Hydrologists are in many ways the unsung heroes of peatland restoration. They are masters at analysing water movement, studying and understanding how it flows through and across the landscape and developing strategies to ensure that the water levels are just right to create the ideal conditions for peat formation.

They are the unsung heroes not only from an environmental perspective, but they also bring profound sociological impacts to local communities. Restoring peatlands safeguards traditional livelihoods which are reliant on healthy ecosystems, such as fishing and agricultural practices.

Moreover, a wet and healthy peatland reduces the chances of forest fire, a recurring threat to communities’ health, homes and long-term livelihoods.

Rimba Makmur Utama’s water bender

At the heart of our flagship Katingan Mentaya Project in Kalimantan, our hydrology team leads the way forward, facing challenges and issues as they seek to reverse the damage caused by drainage.

Our team of hydrologists employ various strategies to restore the peatlands to their waterlogged state.

One of the key strategies is blocking the drainage canals, which were originally built to make the land more suitable for agriculture and transporting timber but causes the peatlands to dry out. By blocking the canals, our hydrology team can prevent water escaping the peatland, allowing it to remain damp and slowing down the process of decomposition that releases carbon into the atmosphere. As per today, our team has blocked a total of 96 dams.

The team also constructs water control structures. Through complex modeling and calculations, they develop water structures designed to precisely regulate water levels across different parts of the peatland. By carefully managing water flow, they create the ideal condition for peat formation to resume, ensuring that the ecosystem remains healthy and continues to sequester carbon.

Yet, it is not limited to man-made interventions. The team also focuses on promoting natural water retention in collaboration with other teams reforest the area and create wetland habitats. The reintroduction of native plant species helps retain water in the ecosystem, preserving the peatland in its optimal state. This holistic approach – combining modern science with traditional wisdom – ensures that the restoration process respects both the environment and the local communities that depend on it.

“We start our restoration journey here and now, to create impact for the generations to come” - Jeni Ricardo

By deploying a mix of scientific theory, local wisdom and practices that just work, they help maintain the delicate balance between ecological restoration and economic gains, fostering and strengthening the interconnectedness between communities and their natural environment that they have always had.

The dedication of RMU’s hydrology team serves as a reminder that restoring nature’s heartbeat is a collective effort – one that nurtures both the land, and the communities of whose livelihoods depend on it.