Workshop on Ecohydrology on Sustainable Peatland Management.

Asia Pacific Centre for Ecohydrology (APCE) - LIPI held an Internal Seminar on Sustainable Peatland management based on Ecohydrology Approach on April 20, 2018 at the APCE Building attended by APCE Staff and Board of Director’s. This event was a follow-up of the implementation of the concept of ecohydrology in the planning of peat restoration which is the initiation of cooperation between APCE and Peat Restoration Agency (Badan Restorasi Gambut). At the opening, Executive Director  of APCE, Dr. Ignasius DA. Sutapa, M.Sc said this activity is the preparation and finalization of APCE cooperation with BRG related to sustainable peatland management restoration. Dr. Ignasius hopes the concept of ecohydrology can be one of the solutions to problems in the peatland areas. Dian Afriyanti, M.Sc Deputy Staff of Research and Development BRG conveys on Sustainable Peatland Based Management of Hydrological Peat Unit.
She also mentioned that peat restoration in a region should consider its Hydrological Peat Unit along with other factors. The restoration strategies proposed by BRG are Rewetting, Revegetation and Revitalization. This strategy should be implemented simultaneously in order to achieve effective goals. Peat restoration is quite complex because of anthropogenic conflicts related to the economic community. The main problem is the existence of agricultural activities on peat land where the population grows dry land commodities on peat so that peatlands should be drained. This flammable peatland increases the risk of forest fires. The challenge faced is how to change the people's mindset to convert the commodity into an adaptive commodity with wetland (coffee, areca nut, jelutung, gaharu). In addition, the rewaging method (e.g canal plumbing) for a Hydrological Peat Unit will vary due to different land characteristics and topography.