Standardization of Canal Barriers for Peatland Ecosystem Protection

The Ministry of Environment (“KLH”) is preparing standards for the construction of canal barriers throughout Indonesia’s peatland ecosystems as part of efforts to optimize land water retention to prevent forest and land fires.

Edi Nugroho, Director of Peatland Ecosystem Protection and Management (“PPEG”) at the KLH, said that the standards are being developed by gathering input from business actors that have already built canal barriers in the field. “We’re trying to identify best practices so that we can establish a form of standardization,” he said.

According to Edi, the construction of canal barriers should not only focus on technical aspects but also be integrated with efforts to improve the well-being of communities living near peatland areas. The management of canal barriers is synergized with water availability management, the development of productive crops, and community economic activities to ensure that the ecological functions of the area are sustainably maintained.

In addition to developing physical construction standards, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry is also strengthening the monitoring system by requiring the reporting of the coordinates of every canal barrier built. This data will be integrated into the national Groundwater Level (“TMAT”) monitoring dashboard as a tool for monitoring and evaluation.

With standardized construction and an integrated monitoring system in place, the government hopes that peatland ecosystem management can be conducted in a more measurable manner, thereby increasing the effectiveness of efforts to protect against and prevent forest and land fires.