Landscape Monitoring Initiative
Quantedge Advancement Initiative supported World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia in expanding a multi-stakeholder programme to advance forest conservation in North Kalimantan and Aceh, Indonesia.
The Landscape Monitoring Initiative piloted a forest monitoring system and multi-stakeholder collaboration structure, involving local government agencies, supply chain actors, and civil society groups. North Kalimantan and Aceh hold a high proportion of intact forest landscapes within their borders, and are host to 10% of Indonesia’s remaining forest land. This collective approach to landscape monitoring builds upon previous successful pilots in other districts to maximise potential for impact and scalability.
The Landscape Monitoring Initiative piloted a forest monitoring system and multi-stakeholder collaboration structure, involving local government agencies, supply chain actors, and civil society groups. North Kalimantan and Aceh hold a high proportion of intact forest landscapes within their borders, and are host to 10% of Indonesia’s remaining forest land. This collective approach to landscape monitoring builds upon previous successful pilots in other districts to maximise potential for impact and scalability.
Primary tropical rainforest in Kalimantan, Indonesia. (Photo by Ken Shono, Unsplash)
The Landscape Monitoring Initiative utilises the Radar Alerts for Detecting Deforestation (RADD) system, a radar-based monitoring technology developed by Wageningen University and Satelligence, and facilitated by WRI Indonesia. Using radar waves, the innovative system can penetrate cloud cover and gather forest change information without being affected by clouds or sunlight. The RADD database is publicly available on the Global Forest Watch platform, and augments optical-based satellite tools which can be delayed when clouds obstruct the view of forests.
To deliver end-to-end deforestation monitoring and intervention, WRI Indonesia built a consensus among key stakeholders on: (1) prioritisation of RADD alerts, (2) landscape monitoring verification and (3) intervention protocols. During the two-year programme, collective approaches to monitor, verify, and address alerts were developed and piloted with extensive multi-stakeholder engagement. The protocols were developed together with key stakeholders who hold land management functions, thereby ensuring an effective intervention plan is in place to prevent future deforestation events.
Reducing deforestation is a key priority for many Southeast Asian countries which hold immense and diverse forest ecosystems. Through this programme, we hope to advance forest conservation through an inclusive and collaborative approach. This will enable multiple benefits of climate mitigation and sustainable livelihoods, with potential for scale across jurisdictions.
To deliver end-to-end deforestation monitoring and intervention, WRI Indonesia built a consensus among key stakeholders on: (1) prioritisation of RADD alerts, (2) landscape monitoring verification and (3) intervention protocols. During the two-year programme, collective approaches to monitor, verify, and address alerts were developed and piloted with extensive multi-stakeholder engagement. The protocols were developed together with key stakeholders who hold land management functions, thereby ensuring an effective intervention plan is in place to prevent future deforestation events.
Reducing deforestation is a key priority for many Southeast Asian countries which hold immense and diverse forest ecosystems. Through this programme, we hope to advance forest conservation through an inclusive and collaborative approach. This will enable multiple benefits of climate mitigation and sustainable livelihoods, with potential for scale across jurisdictions.
Outcomes:
Over a two-year timeframe, WRI Indonesia has achieved the following outcomes in Aceh and North Kalimantan:
Moving forward, WRI Indonesia will continue to support local stakeholders in forest monitoring to ensure the sustainability of its efforts.
Over a two-year timeframe, WRI Indonesia has achieved the following outcomes in Aceh and North Kalimantan:
- Obtained commitment from stakeholders to set up and implement a collective landscape monitoring system
- Established a verification protocol to operationalise monitoring, verification, and analysis of deforestation alerts using high-resolution satellite imagery and field verification
- Piloted an intervention protocol to respond to different scenarios of forest and land clearing based on land status and ownership
- Developed a landscape monitoring platform to enable stakeholders to independently monitor deforestation in the long term
Moving forward, WRI Indonesia will continue to support local stakeholders in forest monitoring to ensure the sustainability of its efforts.