The Peatland Biodiversity Management Toolbox
A Handbook for the Conservation and Management of Peatland Biodiversity in South East Asia

First Draft – for Consultation
November 2009

Global Environment Centre

Click here to download the full PDF document (1.28MB  PDF). 

Please email your comments and feedback by 28 February 2010 to serena@gec.org.my. 

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1. Introduction

Context

South East Asia has more than 25 million ha of peatlands or 60% of the known tropical peatland
resource. However about two-thirds of the peatlands are heavily utilized or degraded and, over
the past 10 years, more than three million ha have burnt – generating smoke clouds covering up
to five countries, causing economic losses of billions of dollars and triggering major health and
environmental concerns.

In February 2003, 10 member countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
endorsed the ASEAN Peatland Management Initiative (APMI) to act as a framework for
collaborative activities to address peatland degradation and fires. Subsequently in November
2006, the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment endorsed the ASEAN Peatland
Management Strategy 2006-2020 (APMS) to guide the sustainable management of peatlands in
the region.

The goal of the strategy is promote sustainable management of peatlands in the ASEAN region
through collective action and enhanced cooperation to support and sustain local livelihoods,
reduce the risk of fire and associated haze and contribute to global environmental management.
The strategy includes 25 operational objectives and 97 action points in 13 focal areas ranging
from integrated management to climate change and peatland inventory. Countries in the region
are currently in the process of developing and implementing their respective National Action
Plans.(GAP Main Report, Chapter 9)

These guidelines have been prepared under the project on Conservation of Peatland Biodiversity
in South East Asia (Phase 2) supported by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) in partnership
with the Global Environment Centre (GEC). The project focuses on support for the
implementation of the APMS and associated National Action Plans .

Purpose of the Guidelines

The guidelines aim to advance biodiversity conservation issues within the framework of the
APMS by expanding on some of the priority issues identified within the APMS, providing
guidance to technical professionals and administrators on approaches and techniques for
improved conservation and restoration of peatlands, as well as sustainable development
practices and options including reducing the risks and impacts of land-uses in peatland areas.

The guidelines are summarized from existing scientific and technical literature and in many ways
this document provides a reference to available guidance. The subject embraces such a wide
range of technical fields that it is impossible to provide significant detail on all related issues in
one document, therefore further information sources have been provided where necessary. A
directory of guidance materials has been included for further information– especially for
literature that is accessible online. This will be maintained and updated on the Peat Portal
(www.peat-portal.net) by GEC.

Overview of Contents

This document starts with a brief overview of the significance of peatland biodiversity in the
ASEAN Region in Section 2, as a reminder that a globally significant resource is at stake. This is
followed in Section 3 by an overview of the status of peatland biodiversity and the underlying
causes for its progressive, serious loss and degradation. This underlines that the full
commitment of national governments is required to tackle threats and put in place sustainable
use practices for peatlands.

The framework of global and regional policies is described in Section 4, which are relatively
comprehensive, but to be effective they need to be put into action on the ground through
national policies, plans and programmes such as the National Action Plans for Peatlands under
the APMS and integrated with other relevant policies (e.g. national wetland or biodiversity
policies), plans and programmes.

Section 5 provides guidance on principles, strategies and action for the conservation of peatland
biodiversity, with an emphasis on promoting integrated management involving stakeholders at
various levels, the adoption of the ecosystem approach, and the use of river basins or
catchments as management units for peatlands.

Section 6 provides guidelines for the main forms of land use in peatland areas, with the aim of
improving their sustainability and minimising their impacts on peatland biodiversity. It covers
agriculture, forestry, plantations, mining, infrastructure, urban and industrial development, and
water engineering projects.

Section 7 provides guidance on measures for the restoration and rehabilitation of peatland
biodiversity, both at the ecosystem level, and for components of peatland biodiversity.
A directory of guidance materials is provided in the annexes, most of which is immediately
available online.

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Click here to download the full PDF document (1.28MB  PDF). 

Please email your comments and feedback by 28 February 2010 to serena@gec.org.my.