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Details of Award

NERC Reference : NE/P014658/1

Enhancing the benefits of tropical peatland restoration for supporting local communities and ecosystem processes.

Grant Award

Principal Investigator:
Professor JK Hill, University of York, Biology
Co-Investigator:
Dr C McClean, University of York, Environment
Co-Investigator:
Mrs S Suharti, Forest Research and Development Centre, UNLISTED
Co-Investigator:
Professor L Stringer, University of York, Environment
Co-Investigator:
Professor N Pettorelli, Zoological Soc London Inst of Zoology, Institute of Zoology
Co-Investigator:
Dr A Saad, Jambi University, Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture
Co-Investigator:
Professor KC Hamer, University of Leeds, Sch of Biology
Co-Investigator:
Dr E Pratiwi, Indonesian Cent for Agril Land Res & Dev, Indonesian Soil Research Institute (ISRI
Co-Investigator:
Dr J Hodgson, University of Liverpool, Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour
Co-Investigator:
Dr JM Lucey, University of Oxford, Biology
Co-Investigator:
Mrs A Mulyani, Indonesian Cent for Agril Land Res & Dev, Land Suitability and Mapping
Co-Investigator:
Dr N Nurida, Indonesian Cent for Agril Land Res & Dev, Indonesian Soil Research Institute (ISRI
Co-Investigator:
Dr F Agus, Indonesian Cent for Agril Land Res & Dev, Indonesian Soil Research Institute (ISRI
Co-Investigator:
Mr B B Hariyadi, Jambi University, Biology, Fac. of Education and Science
Science Area:
None
Overall Classification:
Unknown
ENRIs:
None
Science Topics:
Anthropogenic pressures
Biodiversity conservation
Conservation management
Ecosystem function
Ecosystem services
Habitat change
Habitat fragmentation
Land use change
Protected areas
Species diversity
Tropical forests
Conservation Ecology
Abstract:
There is a requirement to feed a rapidly growing human population whilst maintaining ecosystem services and reducing biodiversity losses. Across the world, previously extensive tracts of natural habitats have been degraded by human activities, with detrimental impacts for biodiversity and soils, and for the livelihoods of local communities living in these landscapes. Indonesia's forests are extremely biologically diverse but this hyper-diversity is threatened due to widespread loss of rainforest. Peat swamp forests contain particularly large stores of carbon and support unique flora and fauna not occurring elsewhere, but have been drained and degraded to make way for agriculture, threatening wildlife and releasing large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere from loss of trees and soil. Much of this recent forest loss is due to conversion to oil palm plantations, which provide important sources of local incomes, although drained peatlands produce many ecosystem disservices (e.g. bare land and soil with low/no agricultural value, poor air quality). Thus there are moves to rehabilitate degraded peatlands with a focus on reducing emissions, but potential co-benefits (and risks) of restoration for biodiversity and consequences for local communities whose livelihoods are dependent on agriculture are not well understood. The aim of this project is to understand the consequences of draining peatlands for biodiversity and local livelihoods, and to examine different scenarios for prioritising peatlands for restoration, according to biodiversity and emissions considerations and local community benefits and trade-offs. Restoration of degraded peat forest and re-wetting of drained areas may remove agricultural areas from production thereby reducing small holder farmer incomes and food. Moreover, decisions about sites to restore need to be compatible with systems of local governance, land rights and devolved administrations, and require the identification of alternative livelihood options for communities in restored habitats. The size and degree of connectivity of forest areas is also important for maintaining population networks of species in degraded landscapes, and for promoting the responses of biodiversity to climate change, and so decisions about peatland locations for restoration also need to include consideration of connectivity and adaptation of species to climate change. The issues we will address in this multi-disciplinary project will have a direct impact on local communities living in Indonesian peatland landscapes but the wider issues of balancing environmental, biodiversity and local community needs in multi-functional landscapes will be of broad generic importance.
Period of Award:
1 Aug 2017 - 14 Nov 2019
Value:
£437,009
Authorised funds only
NERC Reference:
NE/P014658/1
Grant Stage:
Completed
Scheme:
Newton Fund
Grant Status:
Closed
Programme:
Newton Fund

This grant award has a total value of £437,009  

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FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)

DI - Other CostsIndirect - Indirect CostsDA - InvestigatorsDI - StaffDA - Estate CostsDA - Other Directly AllocatedDI - T&S
£5,264£156,243£42,443£127,706£44,971£4,106£56,277

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