Vegetation Mapping for Reforestation and Carbon Capture in the Harapan Rainforest (original) (raw)

The Harapan Rainforest in the Indonesian province of Jambi, Sumatra is one of the few effectively protected areas in the lowlands of Sumatra. It is a former logging concession which has been leased for 99 years by the RSPB in collaboration with their Indonesian partner, Burung Indonesia. As part of the lease agreement, the area needs to be managed and re-vegetated by the RSPB. In the past the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) has helped to provide some of the botanical background for this project. The project’s primary purpose was to map the remaining vegetation of the project area, provide input and recommendations for the restoration and carbon capture at the site. Outcomes and activities Within the very short time frame this ambitious project has been a great success with outcomes in science, public outreach and testing of new techniques and technologies. The main activities were: • To map the vegetation of the project area from satellite imagery and fieldwork data • To run a ...