Astrosat, Scotland’s space and technology services company has a new partnership to support the Sumatra Merang Peatland Project (SMPP), a forest conservation and biodiversity protection initiative in South Sumatra, Indonesia. Source: Timberbiz
Leveraging its access to data from some of the most powerful Earth observation satellites, Astrosat will provide enhanced landscape monitoring for project teams on the ground in a new multiyear initiative implemented by Indonesian partners Global Alam Lestari (PT GAL) and Forest Carbon.
Through a custom project dashboard that draws on remote sensing platforms and field data collection, project teams will be able to make better management decisions as they restore more than 22,000 hectares of rainforest in Sumatra’s Merang biodiversity corridor.
Satellite observation, global positioning and image analysis can support ground operations in logistically difficult areas, where a lack of roads or boat access present significant monitoring challenges in a swamp forest area nearly the size of Edinburgh, Scotland.
These tools will directly assist forest patrol teams in their efforts to curb illegal logging and spot forest fires in near-real time, while providing long-term regeneration indicators as the habitat is restored.
Astrosat is a proven leader when it comes to leveraging new technology to support conservation and will draw on a track record of supporting biodiversity and landscape restoration initiatives across Central America and Southeast Asia.
Astrosat’s partnership with the SMPP project will be initiated in two phases, first focusing on the development of water table, land cover and satellite monitoring systems for the project.
A second phase will deploy satellite communications for project teams, while developing biodiversity monitoring solutions.
The Merang peatland zone is a highly biodiverse region and the project concession is a documented habitat for the endangered Sumatran Tiger.
Astrosat is currently exploring how to link a satellite feed with data from solar-powered cameras on the ground to more effectively protect and monitor both endangered and endemic species.
Working with local partner PT GAL, which leads ground operations with a team of more than 30 staff, Astrosat will use the SMPP project as proof of concept to support regional and global efforts to reduce forest fires in high-risk zones.
“Fire is the greatest risk to our peatland concession, and leveraging this new technology can help us better protect an important piece of Indonesia’s ecological heritage for future generations,” PT GAL Director Soegeng Irianto said.
The Sumatra Merang Peatland Project is a forest conservation and biodiversity protection initiative that mitigates an estimated 1.2 million tons of CO2 each year. Forest Carbon is an Indonesian technical advisory company specializing in sustainability initiatives and forest carbon projects to protect tropical rainforests across Southeast Asia.
PT GAL is an Indonesian company licensed to hold and manage forest concessions, specializing in restoration, ground operations and biodiversity protection.
