Peatland restoration and conservation in Indonesia

The Katingan Mentaya Project is reinforcing frontline readiness through a Forest and Land Firefighting Skills Competition.

The competition, organised as part of National Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Month 2026, involved 52 personnel across nine teams representing RMU’s operational zones.

The competition doubled as a hands-on evaluation platform — testing response speed, technical handling, and storage systems to pinpoint exactly where teams can sharpen their edge.

Through this close collaboration between the private sector and government, the Katingan Mentaya Project continues to advance integrated fire prevention — protecting the landscape, safeguarding communities, and building long-term climate resilience.

The project delivers strong biodiversity co-benefits, protecting 56 species classified as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Among them, the project safeguards one of the world's most significant populations of Bornean orangutans — a critically endangered keystone species that plays a vital role in maintaining forest health and biodiversity.

An estimated 5% of all remaining Bornean orangutans reside within the project area. As they move between fruit trees and feed on forest plants, orangutans perform a crucial ecological function: dispersing seeds, facilitating forest regeneration, and supporting structural diversity — all of which strengthen forest resilience. In turn, a biodiverse, healthy forest delivers enhanced carbon storage capacity, regulates local hydrological cycles, and supports a wide range of dependent species.

• Auditor AENOR CONFÍA S.A.U. issued a verification report
• Certified full compliance for Gold Level Distinctions in Climate Change Adaptation, Exceptional Community Benefits, and Exceptional Biodiversity Benefits

• Project proponents PT. Rimba Makmur Utama and Permian Global issued MR7 and Project Description v3.0 covering VCS (Jan 01, 2021 – Dec 31, 2023) and CCB (Jan 01, 2020 – Dec 31, 2023) under VCS v4.7 and CCB v3.1
• Reported landscape restoration across 157,875 ha via 34 canal blocks, protection of 149,800 ha of Key Biodiversity Area habitat (109 threatened species), income growth for 3,987 local community members, and zero forest fires in the project zone

In 2025, the The Katingan Mentaya Project was upgraded from an A to AA rating by BeZero, following the publication of two new reports - the SDG Impact Report and the Fire Management and Mitigation Report. An AA rating indicates a high degree of confidence that the carbon credits issued represent a real, measurable unit of avoided or removed greenhouse gas emissions. This assessment reflects the continued success of the project's ecosystem restoration activities, strength in terms of fire management and mitigation.

01 January 2020 – 31 December 2023 Monitoring Period

• 8 new canals were targeted for rewetting between 2020 and 2023, with 17 canal blocks constructed to support hydrological restoration.

• 6,727 community members participated in structured decision-making activities; 80 MoUs signed with 34 villages since 2015.

• No large-scale fires recorded across 149,800 ha; 1,380 community members trained in fire response and awareness.

• Over 7,800 people have improved incomes, 1,200 women have benefited economically, and 366 people have gained full-time jobs.

• Released the annual VCS monitoring report for the period Jan 01, 2020 to Dec 31, 2020.

• Published monitoring results covering VCS (Jan 01, 2019 – Dec 31, 2019) and CCB (Jan 01, 2018 – Dec 31, 2019)

• Submitted the fourth annual monitoring report for the VCS monitoring period spanning Jan 01, 2018 to Dec 31, 2018

• Auditor ESI issued the formal verification statement for the 2015–2017 CCB monitoring period
• Confirmed compliance with Gold Level criteria across Climate Change Adaptation, Community Benefits, and Biodiversity Benefits

• Released the joint monitoring report for VCS (Jan 01, 2017 – Dec 31, 2017) and CCB (Nov 01, 2015 – Dec 31, 2017)
• Detailed expanded microfinance, agroforestry, and Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) protection initiatives

• Published the second monitoring report covering the VCS period from Nov 01, 2015 to Dec 31, 2016
• Outlined ongoing fire management, rewetting, and community development activities

• Completed formal validation and initial verification under the Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) Standards

• Published the initial monitoring report covering the first implementation period (Nov 01, 2010 – Oct 31, 2015)
• Reported 12,748,612 tCO2e in net greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions achieved through avoided deforestation and peatland restoration

• The project successfully achieved formal validation against the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)

• Official project start date and beginning of the 60-year GHG accounting/crediting period (Nov 01, 2010 – Oct 31, 2070) for the Katingan Peatland Restoration and Conservation Project (Project ID 1477) in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
• Initiated by project proponent PT. Rimba Makmur Utama to protect and restore 149,800 hectares of peat swamp forest habitat