Indonesia contains a large area of peat and connected freshwater wetlands, approximately 19 million hectares or 10 percent of the land area1. Peatlands make up 89% of the 19 million hectares. Most of these wetlands are located on three islands, West Papua, Sumatra, and Kalimantan. These tropical wetlands are naturally covered by closed forest and often contain valuable timber species – however, their commercial extraction appears unsustainable. They play a critical role in carbon storage, biodiversity conservation and hydrological regulation. They are also a major breeding ground of fish for both domestic and export markets. Many people rely on these wetlands for livelihood support, often in the form of fishing, logging and agriculture.
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