Projects

Many research projects on topics related to water management have been - and are being - executed.

Air-Co especially intends to build on the following projects:

PEATWISE
The project New Educational Tools for Sustainable Management of Peatlands in the Humid Tropics "PEATWISE" is an EU-funded project, within the framework Asia-Link. This project is nowadays being executed and aims at sustainable land management, with particular reference to tropical peatlands, through the development of new university curricula by a multilateral network of South East Asian and European universities.
MANGROVE EU FP6
This project is an EU financed project. This research project aims at mangrove ecosystems, communities and conflicts by developing knowledge based approaches to reconcile multiple demands.
WOTRO Read river Delta Project
Human impacts and socio economic aspects of natural resource use in estuarine areas (including fisheries): From data to information to knowledge. The capacity of the Vietnamese fisheries information system to detect environmental changes and to evaluate the effectiveness of fisheries management measures in the Ba Lat estuary and coastal zone of Nam Dinh province." - WOTRO Red River Delta project.
KALTROP
The Kalimantan Peat Swamp Forest Research Project (KALTROP) commenced in 1993 following the signing of an MOU for an academic link between the universities of Nottingham, UK, and Palangka Raya, Indonesia. This was widened to include the University of Leicester, UK and the University of Hokkaido, Japan. Until 1998 staff exchanges were funded.
In the first five years (1993-97) more than 100 scientists and volunteers gathered and assessed information on the biodiversity, ecology and natural resource functions of the peatlands. The data collected have been presented in scientific publications and in the book "Biodiversity and Sustainability of Tropical Peatlands".
EUTROP
EUTROP was an EU-funded research project on natural resource functions, biodiversity and sustainable management of tropical peatlands, funded within the framework of International Collaboration with Developing Countries (INCO-DC). The project was executed from 1998-2001.
General objectives were:
- Inventory of peatlands in SE Asia with an accurate map of their location in Central Kalimantan.
- Evaluate natural resource functions of pristine tropical peatlands and impacts of development upon these.
- Determine carbon dynamics (flux and storage) in tropical peatlands and implications for global carbon balance.
- Carry out biodiversity audits of peat swamp forests and compare with developed peatlands.
- Prepare a model environmental land use planning strategy that can be transferable elsewhere with peatlands resources in the tropical zone.
- Provide human resource development through mobility, technology transfer and training.
DARTROP
DARTROP was an EU-funded research project on the effect of land use change and fire on the biodiversity of peat swamp forest in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. The project was executed from 1998-2001.
General objectives were to document the biodiversity, structure and ecological functions of peat swamp forest in Central Kalimantan (Indonesia) and to determine the natural and man-induced impacts upon this ecosystem with a view to preparing guidelines for its environmentally sustainable development including proposals for habitat and wildlife protection.
STRAPEAT
The project "Strategies for Implementing Sustainable Management of Peatlands in Borneo" (STRAPEAT) is an EU-funded project, within the framework of International Collaboration with Developing Countries (INCO-DC).
The project started in 2001 and aims at promoting wise use of tropical peatlands by integrating biophysical, hydrological and socio-economic data within strategies for sustainable management. It specifically seeks to implement the strategies once they have been formulated for practical use in critical peatlands areas in Borneo. Local research capacity is strengthened enabling peatlands managers to better understand and address the different, interrelated processes operating in tropical peatlands.
Agricultural Developments of Coastal Peat Swamps of Sarawak
The study on Agricultural Developments of Coastal Peat Swamps of Sarawak was executed by LAWOO (the Wageningen Land and Water Research group), PS Konsultant, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Sarawak (DID), and Malaysian counterparts.
The objective was to provide the State of Malaysia with tools to properly co-ordinate and enhance the overall development of coastal peatlands, as well as to avoid conflicting land use. For this purpose, a set of guidelines for agricultural development in the coastal peat swamps of Sarawak has been developed. These guidelines provide advice on best practice in planning, assessment, design, implementation and management of water management systems for agricultural activities in coastal peat swamps of Sarawak. The guidelines are based on the leading principle that peat is a precious commodity that should be handled with care.
DFID
The University of Palangka Raya is involved in a higher education link programme (2001-2004) facilitated by the British Council and funded by the British Government through the Department for International Development (DFID).
This link involves staff from the Universities of Leicester and Nottingham, UK, and is aimed at capacity building through the development of teaching programmes and short courses. A needs analysis conducted at the start of the link identified several key objectives, including the development of a taught postgraduate programme at the University of Palangka Raya, which would build on the newly-acquired research strengths of the younger members of the teaching staff. The DFID-funded link has very limited financial resources: whilst it can facilitate information exchange and workshops, it cannot provide the resources required for development of course materials or for staff training. It did, however, provide the impetus for this application.
JAXA's Kyoto and Carbon Initiative
Operational monitoring and mapping program in the framework of JAXA's Kyoto and Carbon Initiative using the ALOS PALSAR under agreement with the Indonesian NGO: Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. In the period 2005-2010 all forest with a special focus on wetlands (peat swamps, mangroves) will be covered for the entire Insular SE Asian region.(2003-2010; Program Coordinator Hoekman).
INDREX-96 airborne radar campaign
Development of remote sensing monitoring systems for forest and land cover change in cooperation with ESA and the Ministry of Forestry. At test sites in Jambi and East-Kalimantan ERS SAR time series were studied. The INDREX-96 airborne radar campaign was executed to support future developments. Also a 3D interferometric radar tree mapping technique was developed. (1996-2000; PI Hoekman).
NASA 2000 Pacific Rim campaign
Participation in the NASA 2000 Pacific Rim campaign at test sites in East-Kalimantan using advanced polarimetric and interferometric airborne radar to improve mapping and biomass estimation techniques. (2000-2003; PI Hoekman).

Home Project outline Project Objectives Project Activities Partners Projects Outputs Links Contact	Asia - Europe Collaboration in knowledge & research on integrated water resource management Many research projects on topics related to water management have been - and are being - executed. Air-Co especially intends to build on the following projects: PEATWISE The project New Educational Tools for Sustainable Management of Peatlands in the Humid Tropics "PEATWISE" is an EU-funded project, within the framework Asia-Link. This project is nowadays being executed and aims at sustainable land management, with particular reference to tropical peatlands, through the development of new university curricula by a multilateral network of South East Asian and European universities. MANGROVE EU FP6 This project is an EU financed project. This research project aims at mangrove ecosystems, communities and conflicts by developing knowledge based approaches to reconcile multiple demands. WOTRO Read river Delta Project Human impacts and socio economic aspects of natural resource use in estuarine areas (including fisheries): From data to information to knowledge. The capacity of the Vietnamese fisheries information system to detect environmental changes and to evaluate the effectiveness of fisheries management measures in the Ba Lat estuary and coastal zone of Nam Dinh province." - WOTRO Red River Delta project. KALTROP The Kalimantan Peat Swamp Forest Research Project (KALTROP) commenced in 1993 following the signing of an MOU for an academic link between the universities of Nottingham, UK, and Palangka Raya, Indonesia. This was widened to include the University of Leicester, UK and the University of Hokkaido, Japan. Until 1998 staff exchanges were funded. In the first five years (1993-97) more than 100 scientists and volunteers gathered and assessed information on the biodiversity, ecology and natural resource functions of the peatlands. The data collected have been presented in scientific publications and in the book "Biodiversity and Sustainability of Tropical Peatlands". EUTROP EUTROP was an EU-funded research project on natural resource functions, biodiversity and sustainable management of tropical peatlands, funded within the framework of International Collaboration with Developing Countries (INCO-DC). The project was executed from 1998-2001. General objectives were: - Inventory of peatlands in SE Asia with an accurate map of their location in Central Kalimantan. - Evaluate natural resource functions of pristine tropical peatlands and impacts of development upon these. - Determine carbon dynamics (flux and storage) in tropical peatlands and implications for global carbon balance. - Carry out biodiversity audits of peat swamp forests and compare with developed peatlands. - Prepare a model environmental land use planning strategy that can be transferable elsewhere with peatlands resources in the tropical zone. - Provide human resource development through mobility, technology transfer and training. DARTROP DARTROP was an EU-funded research project on the effect of land use change and fire on the biodiversity of peat swamp forest in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. The project was executed from 1998-2001. General objectives were to document the biodiversity, structure and ecological functions of peat swamp forest in Central Kalimantan (Indonesia) and to determine the natural and man-induced impacts upon this ecosystem with a view to preparing guidelines for its environmentally sustainable development including proposals for habitat and wildlife protection. STRAPEAT The project "Strategies for Implementing Sustainable Management of Peatlands in Borneo" (STRAPEAT) is an EU-funded project, within the framework of International Collaboration with Developing Countries (INCO-DC). The project started in 2001 and aims at promoting wise use of tropical peatlands by integrating biophysical, hydrological and socio-economic data within strategies for sustainable management. It specifically seeks to implement the strategies once they have been formulated for practical use in critical peatlands areas in Borneo. Local research capacity is strengthened enabling peatlands managers to better understand and address the different, interrelated processes operating in tropical peatlands. Agricultural Developments of Coastal Peat Swamps of Sarawak The study on Agricultural Developments of Coastal Peat Swamps of Sarawak was executed by LAWOO (the Wageningen Land and Water Research group), PS Konsultant, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Sarawak (DID), and Malaysian counterparts. The objective was to provide the State of Malaysia with tools to properly co-ordinate and enhance the overall development of coastal peatlands, as well as to avoid conflicting land use. For this purpose, a set of guidelines for agricultural development in the coastal peat swamps of Sarawak has been developed. These guidelines provide advice on best practice in planning, assessment, design, implementation and management of water management systems for agricultural activities in coastal peat swamps of Sarawak. The guidelines are based on the leading principle that peat is a precious commodity that should be handled with care. DFID The University of Palangka Raya is involved in a higher education link programme (2001-2004) facilitated by the British Council and funded by the British Government through the Department for International Development (DFID). This link involves staff from the Universities of Leicester and Nottingham, UK, and is aimed at capacity building through the development of teaching programmes and short courses. A needs analysis conducted at the start of the link identified several key objectives, including the development of a taught postgraduate programme at the University of Palangka Raya, which would build on the newly-acquired research strengths of the younger members of the teaching staff. The DFID-funded link has very limited financial resources: whilst it can facilitate information exchange and workshops, it cannot provide the resources required for development of course materials or for staff training. It did, however, provide the impetus for this application. JAXA's Kyoto and Carbon Initiative Operational monitoring and mapping program in the framework of JAXA's Kyoto and Carbon Initiative using the ALOS PALSAR under agreement with the Indonesian NGO: Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. In the period 2005-2010 all forest with a special focus on wetlands (peat swamps, mangroves) will be covered for the entire Insular SE Asian region.(2003-2010; Program Coordinator Hoekman). INDREX-96 airborne radar campaign Development of remote sensing monitoring systems for forest and land cover change in cooperation with ESA and the Ministry of Forestry. At test sites in Jambi and East-Kalimantan ERS SAR time series were studied. The INDREX-96 airborne radar campaign was executed to support future developments. Also a 3D interferometric radar tree mapping technique was developed. (1996-2000; PI Hoekman). NASA 2000 Pacific Rim campaign Participation in the NASA 2000 Pacific Rim campaign at test sites in East-Kalimantan using advanced polarimetric and interferometric airborne radar to improve mapping and biomass estimation techniques. (2000-2003; PI Hoekman).