News
Peat experts help the Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) to preserve peatlands and to reduce its carbon emissions
A team of peat experts headed by Wageningen University and Research Centre (WUR) has been appointed by APP to work with the company as it implements its Forest Conservation Policy (FCP). In an Inception Phase the team will analyse current peat management issues and opportunities in APP (and third party suppliers) concessions, and propose an outline plan for a follow-up Second Phase of the work, in which, an approach for moving towards responsible peat management will be identified. The team consists of Lars Hein, Peter van der Meer and Henk Wösten (all Wageningen UR scientists) as well as peat experts from two other organisations.
APP’s FCP was launched on February 5th 2013, in a bid to end deforestation in its supply chain. A moratorium on the clearance of all natural forest was introduced pending a series of assessments to determine which parts of APP’s concessions contain High Carbon Stock and which are of High Conservation Value, all of which will be protected.
The policy also included a commitment to support the Government of Indonesia’s low emission development goal and its target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This will be achieved by ensuring that forested peatland is protected as part of its commitment to maintain HCVF and HCS forests.
Once the Second phase of the project is complete, recommendations from the expert team will be used to develop APP’s Integrated Sustainable Forest Management Plans (ISFMP) along with the results of the HCV and HCS assessments. The Integrated Sustainable Forest Management Plans when completed, will form the basis for the long term conservation of all natural forest in APP’s Concessions.
Source: The Asia Pulp & Paper Group