Sumatra, Part 9: Restoration for peat's sake

<p>Once drained for palm oil or other agricultural uses, Indonesia's peatlands become very fire prone, putting people and rich flora and fauna--from orchids to orangutans--at risk.</p> <p>Over a million hectares of carbon-rich peatlands burned in Indonesia in 2019, creating a public health crisis not seen since 2015 when the nation's peatland restoration agency was formed to address the issue.</p> <p>To understand what is being done to restore peatlands, we speak with the Deputy Head of the National Peatland Restoration Agency, <strong>Budi Wardhana</strong>, and with <strong>Dyah Puspitaloka</strong>, a researcher on the value chain, finance and investment team at CIFOR, the Center for International Forestry Research.</p> <p>Restoration through agroforestry that benefits both people and planet is one positive avenue forward, which Dyah discusses in her remarks.</p> <p>For more on this topic, see the recent report at Mongabay, "<a href= "https://news.mongabay.com/2021/01/indonesia-renews-peatland-mangrove-restoration-agency-brgm/">Indonesia renews peat restoration bid to include mangroves, but hurdles abound</a>."</p> <p>Episode artwork: Haze from fires in a peatland logging concession pollutes the air in Jambi Province, Indonesia. Image courtesy of Greenpeace Media Library.</p> <p>Please invite your friends to subscribe to Mongabay Explores wherever they get podcasts. You can also access our sister series, the <em>Mongabay Newscast, </em>by downloading our free app <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1524511006">in the Apple App Store</a> and <a href= "https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mongabay.android.mongabay&hl=en_US"> in the Google Store</a> to have access to our latest episodes at your fingertips.</p> <p>If you enjoy our podcast content, please visit <a href= "http://www.patreon.com/mongabay">www.patreon.com/mongabay</a> to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps! </p> <p>See all our latest news from nature's frontline