What we do

Protection
Assessment
Restoration
Management

RER employs the four-phase model of peatland forest protection, restoration and conservation using a landscape approach.

Protecting the Landscape

RER adopts appropriate protection strategies that include the establishment of a formal guard and patrol function and bespoke community resource management and protection schemes. RER works with local community groups to ensure that solutions are practical and effective.

Assessing the Ecosystem
and the Social Environment

We investigate and assess the present conditions of the flora, fauna and wildlife habitats, assisted by expert partners. Initial assessments of the area, physical and social environments are also completed to establish a baseline against which future assessments can be benchmarked, and to ensure that communities are part of this process.

Restoring Native Plant and
Wildlife Species

Once protected and assessed, RER carefully restores degraded sites through a process of restocking, using seedlings from surrounding forests. We establish nurseries to cultivate seedlings collected from the wild before carrying out a program of staged replanting. Water level restoration will be developed to maintain water levels critical to the health and functioning of the peat forest ecosystems, with continual evaluation of the effectiveness of our efforts.

Managing for Sustainability

We develop comprehensive, long-term management plans with our advisory panel of international and local specialists to ensure the sustainability of the restored forest areas. These incorporate consultation with local communities, government and adjacent forest concession license-holders, and are distributed widely for feedback.

 

Production-Protection Model

A critical element of the RER initiative is the adoption and maintenance of an integrated production-protection model, where plantation operations on the perimeter of the restoration area not only provide protection, but actively fund ecosystem restoration and forest protection. Years of experience have shown that this is the most reliable, consistent and effective economic model for restoration in Indonesia, especially given the extent of the resources that are required for ongoing active management.

 

From the Community

The RER has a total of 69 employees and more than 100 contracted rangers and team members that work to protect and restore the forest every day. Over 80 per cent of RER’s workforce is drawn from the two regencies in Riau where RER is located, Pelalawan and Kepulauan Meranti. This helps RER to establish trust and better understand the needs of forest users.

RER Special Report 2023