Peatland resilience: Knowledge exchange for the conservation and sustainable management of forested tropical peatlands
Lead Research Organisation:
University of St Andrews
Department Name: Geography and Sustainable Development
Abstract
Tropical peatlands are one of our planet's most important, and most vulnerable, terrestrial carbon pools, storing over 100 billion tonnes of carbon. They provide ecosystem services and livelihoods for local communities. However, their large carbon stores and unique biodiversity are threatened by human pressures. In Southeast Asia, peatland destruction on a very large scale has been driven by drainage and conversion into oil palm and forestry plantations, while more intact peatlands in the Amazon and Congo basins are currently threatened by the expansion of commercial agriculture and new infrastructure development. Ecological and social studies have demonstrated that avoiding drainage and land use change in peatlands can conserve carbon stocks and mitigate the potentially significant releases of greenhouse gases, while, simultaneously, conservation and sustainable management can help to ensure the provision of products and services to local inhabitants who depend culturally and socioeconomically on peatlands. However, more effective dialogue and long-term relationships are needed between scientists and policymakers to ensure the use of scientific knowledge in public policy and to develop innovative funding strategies for conservation and reduction of carbon emissions due to peatland degradation and deforestation.
Over the last decade, NERC-funded research based on collaborations among institutions in the UK, Amazonia and the Congo basin, has provided scientific evidence on the distribution of tropical peatlands, their unique biodiversity, and the quantity of carbon stored above and below ground. The most extensive peatlands of Amazonia are in Peru; these forested peatlands contain more than twice the carbon stocks of UK peatlands. Permanent forest census plots have been established following standard international protocols to monitor the forest dynamics and peatland resilience in the face of climate change. These data also provide information on the abundance of resources and 'health status' of natural forests that can be used to improve management plans for resource harvesting (e.g. harvest intensity). However, these high-quality peatland inventory and monitoring data are poorly integrated within policy making. Therefore, this KE fellowship aims to build on the unique network of partnerships developed by the applicant with stakeholders and users in Peru to translate ecological and social scientific knowledge on tropical peatlands generated by UK universities into policies and strategies to conserve and manage peatlands sustainably, and expand the reach of the impact across the tropics.
Working with a range of organisations including Peru's Ministry of Environment and National Service of Protected Areas, the project will undertake activities designed to integrate existing scientific data into governmental decision-taking and policy development; develop and test new protocols to facilitate monitoring of peatland ecosystems by government and private companies; and exchange knowledge and understanding with stakeholders and end-users in other peat-rich tropical countries.
Over the last decade, NERC-funded research based on collaborations among institutions in the UK, Amazonia and the Congo basin, has provided scientific evidence on the distribution of tropical peatlands, their unique biodiversity, and the quantity of carbon stored above and below ground. The most extensive peatlands of Amazonia are in Peru; these forested peatlands contain more than twice the carbon stocks of UK peatlands. Permanent forest census plots have been established following standard international protocols to monitor the forest dynamics and peatland resilience in the face of climate change. These data also provide information on the abundance of resources and 'health status' of natural forests that can be used to improve management plans for resource harvesting (e.g. harvest intensity). However, these high-quality peatland inventory and monitoring data are poorly integrated within policy making. Therefore, this KE fellowship aims to build on the unique network of partnerships developed by the applicant with stakeholders and users in Peru to translate ecological and social scientific knowledge on tropical peatlands generated by UK universities into policies and strategies to conserve and manage peatlands sustainably, and expand the reach of the impact across the tropics.
Working with a range of organisations including Peru's Ministry of Environment and National Service of Protected Areas, the project will undertake activities designed to integrate existing scientific data into governmental decision-taking and policy development; develop and test new protocols to facilitate monitoring of peatland ecosystems by government and private companies; and exchange knowledge and understanding with stakeholders and end-users in other peat-rich tropical countries.
Organisations
- University of St Andrews (Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER (Collaboration)
- University of Kisangani (Collaboration)
- Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (Collaboration)
- United Nations (UN) (Collaboration)
- Scotland's Rural College (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS (Collaboration)
- Marien Ngouabi University (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
| Euridice Honorio Coronado (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Andueza L
(2023)
Navigating shifting waters: Subjectivity, oil extraction, and Urarina territorial strategies in the Peruvian Amazon
in Geoforum
Bennett A
(2023)
Sensitivity of South American tropical forests to an extreme climate anomaly
in Nature Climate Change
De Lima RAF
(2022)
Making forest data fair and open.
in Nature ecology & evolution
Feldpausch T
(2022)
Forest Fire History in Amazonia Inferred From Intensive Soil Charcoal Sampling and Radiocarbon Dating
in Frontiers in Forests and Global Change
Flores Llampazo G
(2022)
The presence of peat and variation in tree species composition are under different hydrological controls in Amazonian wetland forests
in Hydrological Processes
Hastie A
(2022)
Risks to carbon storage from land-use change revealed by peat thickness maps of Peru
in Nature Geoscience
Hidalgo Pizango C
(2022)
Sustainable palm fruit harvesting as a pathway to conserve Amazon peatland forests
in Nature Sustainability
HONORIO CORONADO E
(2023)
CARACTERIZACIÓN ESTRUCTURAL, PRODUCCIÓN Y FENOLOGÍA REPRODUCTIVA DE Mauritia flexuosa L.f. "aguaje" EN PLANTACIONES FORESTALES DE JENARO HERRERA, LORETO, PERÚ
in Folia Amazónica
| Title | Museum exhibition about peatlands |
| Description | I contributed with photographic material, objects, ideas and information about peatlands to the exhibition "For Peatlands' Sake" led by Katherine Roucoux and Eilidh Lawrence at the Wardlaw Museum. This exhibition aimed to create awareness about the importance of Peruvian and Scottish peatlands in reconstructing the past changes in the vegetation and landscapes, in supporting present livelihoods and in mitigating climate change through conservation and sustainable management. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | During 14 weeks of exhibition (29/01/2023 - 07/05/2023), more than 500 people from the general public attended the Wardlaw Museum. Attendees found out information about their role in protecting peatlands, stimulating changes in their perceptions and behavior, for example, by understanding the importance of these ecosystems, the challenges to conserve them and opportunities to contribute to reduce the threats. |
| URL | https://for-peatlands-sake.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/ |
| Description | This fellowship has achieved significant results in tropical peatland conservation by leveraging a unique network of partnerships that Dr Euridice Honorio developed during her research career. Collaborating with stakeholders, including the Ministry of Environment and the National Service of Protected Areas in Peru, the project successfully translated ecological and social scientific knowledge on tropical peatlands into practical policies and strategies. The impact extended beyond Peru, as the fellowship allowed the active engagement with organizations in the Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo which are also peat-rich tropical countries, fostering exchange of knowledge across continents. Importantly, the project facilitated the integration of existing scientific data into governmental decision-making and policy development by (1) participating in the advisory committee that defined the actions to reduce carbon emissions from peatlands in Peru as part of the Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement, and (2) developing and testing innovative monitoring protocols of the ecological and socio-economic impacts of harvesting of peatland resources, and (3) promoting long-term peatland resilience across the world with a diverse set of engagement activities. This fellowship has not only strengthened the sustainable management of peatlands in Peru but also contributed to a broader, collaborative effort aimed at preserving these vital ecosystems worldwide. |
| Exploitation Route | The outcomes of this Knowledge Exchange fellowship hold potential for future applications and can be leveraged in several ways by others in the field of tropical peatland conservation. Firstly, the established network of partnerships with stakeholders and governmental bodies in Peru serves as a valuable model for replication in other regions, enabling similar collaborative efforts to translate scientific knowledge into actionable conservation strategies. The developed protocols for monitoring peatland ecosystems can be adopted and adapted by government agencies, NGOs, and private companies globally, offering a standardized and effective approach to assess and manage peatlands sustainably. The success in integrating scientific data into governmental decision-making and policy development sets a precedent for other research initiatives seeking to influence environmental policy, encouraging a more evidence-based approach. Furthermore, the knowledge exchange with other peat-rich tropical countries provides opportunities for developing new knowledge exchange proposals for international collaboration, allowing diverse regions to learn from each other's experiences and best practices. Overall, the outcomes of this funding offer resources and methodologies that can be applied and built upon by researchers, policymakers, and conservation practitioners working towards the conservation of tropical peatlands around the world. |
| Sectors | Education Environment |
| Description | Global Peatlands Assessment |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in systematic reviews |
| URL | https://www.unep.org/resources/global-peatlands-assessment-2022 |
| Description | Integrate actions and strategies specific to peatlands into national initiatives in Peru |
| Geographic Reach | South America |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.gob.pe/institucion/minam/normas-legales/2708454-019-2022-minam |
| Description | Promote long-term peatland resilience in Congo basin |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | Provide support and training for monitoring and improving management plans |
| Geographic Reach | South America |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | The implementation of these monitoring protocols by researchers (e.g. me) and non-governmental organizations (e.g. Wildlife Conservation Society - WCS) is demonstrating for the first time the recovery potential of M. flexuosa due to the use of climbing to harvest the palm fruits instead of cutting the palms. Moreover, socioeconomic indicators indicate that local communities can still benefit from peatland natural resources by generating income and maintaining their livelihoods. |
| URL | https://www.gob.pe/institucion/sernanp/normas-legales/3613399-102-2022-sernanp-dganp |
| Description | Tropical peatland climate resilience: transforming governance of climate risks for poverty reduction in Indonesia, Peru and the Congo Basin |
| Amount | £200,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | KF5210311 |
| Organisation | The British Academy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2021 |
| End | 04/2023 |
| Title | 'Data and R-code from 'Bennett, A.C., Rodrigues de Sousa, T., Monteagudo-Mendoza, A. et al. Sensitivity of South American tropical forests to an extreme climate anomaly. Nat. Clim. Chang. 13, 967-974 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01776-4' |
| Description | This data package contains the codes and data to run the main analyses and produce the main figures of Bennett et al., 2023 Nature Climate Change: Sensitivity of South American tropical forests to an extreme climate anomaly. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Media (Mongabay, etc) reported this article online indicating that "this new study revealed that, during extremely hot and dry conditions, tropical forests in South America stop acting as carbon sinks, meaning they're no longer absorbing more carbon than they're releasing - a key function that forests need for helping prevent climate change". Media also created awareness in the general public indicating the importance of keeping forests standing, through conservation, to fight climate change. |
| URL | https://www.forestplots.net/data-packages/Bennett-et-al-2023 |
| Title | Risks to carbon storage from land-use change revealed by peat thickness maps of Peru |
| Description | Tropical peatlands are among the most carbon dense ecosystems but land-use change has led to the loss of large peatland areas, associated with substantial greenhouse gas emissions. In order to design effective conservation and restoration policies, maps of the location and carbon storage of tropical peatlands are vital. This is especially so in countries such as Peru where the distribution of its large, hydrologically intact peatlands is poorly known. Here, field and remote sensing data support model development of peatland extent and thickness for lowland Peruvian Amazonia. We estimate a peatland area of 62,714 (5th and 95th confidence interval percentiles 58,325-67,102 respectively) km2 and carbon stock of 5.4 (2.6-10.6) Pg C, a value approaching the entire above-ground carbon stock of Peru but contained within just 5% of its land area. Combining the map of peatland extent with national land-cover data we reveal small but growing areas of deforestation and associated CO2 emissions from peat decomposition, due to conversion to mining, urban areas, and agriculture. The emissions from peatland areas classified as forest in 2000 represent 1-4% of Peruvian CO2 forest emissions between 2000 and 2016. We suggest that bespoke monitoring, protection and sustainable management of tropical peatlands are required to avoid further degradation and CO2 emissions |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This research dataset has been used to: (1) generate the map of Peruvian peatlands in the Global Peatlands Assessment. This report developed by the Global Peatlands Initiative and the UN Environmental Programme provides a better understanding of what peatlands are, where they are found, what condition they are in and how actions can be taken to protect, restore and sustainably manage them. (2) estimate carbon emissions due to peatland deforestation in the Nationally Determined Contributions of Peru. |
| URL | https://datashare.ed.ac.uk/handle/10283/4364 |
| Title | Understanding different dominance patterns in western Amazonian forests |
| Description | Dominance of neotropical tree communities by a few species is widely documented, but dominant trees show a variety of distributional patterns still poorly understood. Here, we used 503 forest inventory plots (93,719 individuals = 2.5 cm diameter, 2,609 species) to explore the relationships between local abundance, regional frequency, and spatial aggregation of dominant species in four main habitat types in western Amazonia. Contrary to the widely supported positive abundance-occupancy relationship in ecology, we found that among dominant Amazonian tree species, there is a strong negative relationship between local abundance and regional frequency and/or spatial aggregation across habitat types. Our findings suggest an ecological trade-off whereby dominant species can be locally abundant (local dominants) or regionally widespread (widespread dominants), but rarely both (oligarchs). Given the importance of dominant species as drivers of diversity and ecosystem functioning, unraveling different dominance patterns is a research priority to direct conservation efforts in Amazonian forests. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This data package includes information of the forest inventory plots and the process to conduct the analyses: - Generation of 100 subsamples to avoid potential spatial autocorrelation between plots. - Identification of dominant species (for the complete dataset and the 100 subsamples). - Beta regression model to test the effect of regional frequency and habitat type on the local abundance of dominant species (for the complete dataset and the 100 subsamples). - Beta regression models to test the effect of regional frequency and habitat type on the local abundance of species that account for 60%, 70%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 92.5%, 95%, 97.5% and 100% of the total relative abundance (for the complete dataset and the 100 subsamples). - Species-level rank abundance distribution graphs of dominant species (for the complete dataset and the 100 subsamples). - Beta regression model to test the effect of the k parameter of spatial aggregation and habitat type on the local abundance and regional frequency of dominant species (for the complete dataset). - Curves of spatial aggregation for dominant species at each spatial scale using the F index of co-dominance (for the complete dataset). |
| URL | https://zenodo.org/record/8380354 |
| Description | Collaboration with IIAP and Profonanpe |
| Organisation | Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana |
| Country | Peru |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | I contributed with my expertise on peatlands through the development of a project led by the collaborating institutions to assess the carbon stocks of the first carbon project funded by the Green Climate Fund in Peru (Building Resilience in the Wetlands of Datem del Marañon Province, Peru). During preparation for fieldwork, I contributed to developing the methodology to assess the floristic composition and peat of wetland and peatland ecosystems. During preparation of the report, I contributed with data analysis of the floristic composition and provided inputs to the writing report. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The data generated about peat thickness and ecosystem type through this collaboration are contributing to a publication about the spatial distribution of peatlands across the Amazon basin which I am a co-author. |
| Impact | Publications: Hastie et al. (in preparation) A new data-driven map of peat distribution predicts substantial unknown peatland areas in Amazonia. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Collaboration with IIAP and University of Leeds |
| Organisation | Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana |
| Country | Peru |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | I contributed with my expertise on peatlands to the development of a research project led by the collaborating institutions which has been funded by the Green Recovery Challenge Fund (UK PACT). The project aims to develop a tool for monitoring, reporting and verifying carbon emissions from sustainable management of Amazonian peatlands. In the project, I will bring knowledge and experience of developing and implementing monitoring approaches of natural resource with communities across the wetlands of the Peruvian Amazon. |
| Collaborator Contribution | A diverse set of expertise will be contributed by the Peruvian team including specialists on ecology, forest dynamics, social science and geospatial analysis of forest ecosystems in the Peruvian Amazon. |
| Impact | The project started in July 2023 so there are not outputs or outcomes to report yet. However, the project will develop a monitoring tool in order to increase the number of communities that sustainably manage peatland forests in Peru. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Collaboration with IIAP and University of Leeds |
| Organisation | University of Leeds |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I contributed with my expertise on peatlands to the development of a research project led by the collaborating institutions which has been funded by the Green Recovery Challenge Fund (UK PACT). The project aims to develop a tool for monitoring, reporting and verifying carbon emissions from sustainable management of Amazonian peatlands. In the project, I will bring knowledge and experience of developing and implementing monitoring approaches of natural resource with communities across the wetlands of the Peruvian Amazon. |
| Collaborator Contribution | A diverse set of expertise will be contributed by the Peruvian team including specialists on ecology, forest dynamics, social science and geospatial analysis of forest ecosystems in the Peruvian Amazon. |
| Impact | The project started in July 2023 so there are not outputs or outcomes to report yet. However, the project will develop a monitoring tool in order to increase the number of communities that sustainably manage peatland forests in Peru. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Collaboration with SRUC and IIAP |
| Organisation | Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana |
| Country | Peru |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | I contributed with my expertise on peatlands to the development of a research project led by the collaborating institutions. During fieldwork, I led an interdisciplinary team formed by ecological and social researchers that involved surveying vegetation and interviewing local people in different Urarina indigenous communities. The aim of the fieldwork was to understand and value effective indigenous community arrangements to protect and manage peatlands in Peru. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The data generated through this collaboration is contributing to two publications about the peatland ecosystems in Urarina indigenous communities that I am leading (one book chapter and one scientific manuscript). |
| Impact | Publications: Honorio, E. et al. (2023) Los humedales y turberas en los territorios indígenas urarinas: usos, manejo y carbono almacenado. In: Donde habitan los Neba: naturaleza, cultura e impactos ambientales en los territorios del pueblo urarina. Eds. M. Martin, E. Fabiano & D. Del Castillo. IIAP/PUCP. pag. 57-88. Honorio, E. et al. (in preparation) Wetlands and peatlands in the Urarina indigenous territories: uses, management and stored carbon. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Collaboration with SRUC and IIAP |
| Organisation | Scotland's Rural College |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I contributed with my expertise on peatlands to the development of a research project led by the collaborating institutions. During fieldwork, I led an interdisciplinary team formed by ecological and social researchers that involved surveying vegetation and interviewing local people in different Urarina indigenous communities. The aim of the fieldwork was to understand and value effective indigenous community arrangements to protect and manage peatlands in Peru. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The data generated through this collaboration is contributing to two publications about the peatland ecosystems in Urarina indigenous communities that I am leading (one book chapter and one scientific manuscript). |
| Impact | Publications: Honorio, E. et al. (2023) Los humedales y turberas en los territorios indígenas urarinas: usos, manejo y carbono almacenado. In: Donde habitan los Neba: naturaleza, cultura e impactos ambientales en los territorios del pueblo urarina. Eds. M. Martin, E. Fabiano & D. Del Castillo. IIAP/PUCP. pag. 57-88. Honorio, E. et al. (in preparation) Wetlands and peatlands in the Urarina indigenous territories: uses, management and stored carbon. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Collaboration with the CongoPeat project |
| Organisation | Marien Ngouabi University |
| Country | Congo |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I contributed with my research expertise studying the peatlands of the Peruvian Amazonia during several project meetings by generating discussion about the research outcomes led by the collaborating institutions. I have also presented the preliminary results of my NERC Knowledge Exchange Fellowship (Sep 2023) in order to expand my research network and contacts with stakeholders working on peatlands in the Congo basin. |
| Collaborator Contribution | During a field trip to the peatlands of the Republic of Congo (Jan-Feb 2024), the Congo Peatlands IKI Project (which CongoPeat project is a collaborator) provided an opportunity for knowledge exchange among experts working in the peatlands of the Congo (Dr Simon Lewis, Dr Greta Dargie, Dr Corneille Ewango, Dr Ifo Suspense) and Amazon basins (Dr Euridice Honorio). Dr Ifo Suspense from the Marien Ngouabi University organised a series of workshops for different audiences in which Dr Euridice Honorio engaged and exchanged knowledge about conservation of tropical peatlands in Peru with the general public, stakeholders, and postgraduate students. Professor Sue Page from the University of Leicester invited me to co-convene a research session on tropical peatlands in the European Geoscience Union conference in 2023 and 2024. |
| Impact | Influencing on policy and practice |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Collaboration with the CongoPeat project |
| Organisation | University of Kisangani |
| Country | Congo, the Democratic Republic of the |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I contributed with my research expertise studying the peatlands of the Peruvian Amazonia during several project meetings by generating discussion about the research outcomes led by the collaborating institutions. I have also presented the preliminary results of my NERC Knowledge Exchange Fellowship (Sep 2023) in order to expand my research network and contacts with stakeholders working on peatlands in the Congo basin. |
| Collaborator Contribution | During a field trip to the peatlands of the Republic of Congo (Jan-Feb 2024), the Congo Peatlands IKI Project (which CongoPeat project is a collaborator) provided an opportunity for knowledge exchange among experts working in the peatlands of the Congo (Dr Simon Lewis, Dr Greta Dargie, Dr Corneille Ewango, Dr Ifo Suspense) and Amazon basins (Dr Euridice Honorio). Dr Ifo Suspense from the Marien Ngouabi University organised a series of workshops for different audiences in which Dr Euridice Honorio engaged and exchanged knowledge about conservation of tropical peatlands in Peru with the general public, stakeholders, and postgraduate students. Professor Sue Page from the University of Leicester invited me to co-convene a research session on tropical peatlands in the European Geoscience Union conference in 2023 and 2024. |
| Impact | Influencing on policy and practice |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Collaboration with the CongoPeat project |
| Organisation | University of Leeds |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I contributed with my research expertise studying the peatlands of the Peruvian Amazonia during several project meetings by generating discussion about the research outcomes led by the collaborating institutions. I have also presented the preliminary results of my NERC Knowledge Exchange Fellowship (Sep 2023) in order to expand my research network and contacts with stakeholders working on peatlands in the Congo basin. |
| Collaborator Contribution | During a field trip to the peatlands of the Republic of Congo (Jan-Feb 2024), the Congo Peatlands IKI Project (which CongoPeat project is a collaborator) provided an opportunity for knowledge exchange among experts working in the peatlands of the Congo (Dr Simon Lewis, Dr Greta Dargie, Dr Corneille Ewango, Dr Ifo Suspense) and Amazon basins (Dr Euridice Honorio). Dr Ifo Suspense from the Marien Ngouabi University organised a series of workshops for different audiences in which Dr Euridice Honorio engaged and exchanged knowledge about conservation of tropical peatlands in Peru with the general public, stakeholders, and postgraduate students. Professor Sue Page from the University of Leicester invited me to co-convene a research session on tropical peatlands in the European Geoscience Union conference in 2023 and 2024. |
| Impact | Influencing on policy and practice |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Collaboration with the CongoPeat project |
| Organisation | University of Leicester |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I contributed with my research expertise studying the peatlands of the Peruvian Amazonia during several project meetings by generating discussion about the research outcomes led by the collaborating institutions. I have also presented the preliminary results of my NERC Knowledge Exchange Fellowship (Sep 2023) in order to expand my research network and contacts with stakeholders working on peatlands in the Congo basin. |
| Collaborator Contribution | During a field trip to the peatlands of the Republic of Congo (Jan-Feb 2024), the Congo Peatlands IKI Project (which CongoPeat project is a collaborator) provided an opportunity for knowledge exchange among experts working in the peatlands of the Congo (Dr Simon Lewis, Dr Greta Dargie, Dr Corneille Ewango, Dr Ifo Suspense) and Amazon basins (Dr Euridice Honorio). Dr Ifo Suspense from the Marien Ngouabi University organised a series of workshops for different audiences in which Dr Euridice Honorio engaged and exchanged knowledge about conservation of tropical peatlands in Peru with the general public, stakeholders, and postgraduate students. Professor Sue Page from the University of Leicester invited me to co-convene a research session on tropical peatlands in the European Geoscience Union conference in 2023 and 2024. |
| Impact | Influencing on policy and practice |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Collaboration with the Global Peatlands Initiative |
| Organisation | United Nations (UN) |
| Department | United Nations Environment Programme |
| Country | Kenya |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | I used my expertise on peatlands as a contributing author of the Global Peatlands Assessment led by the Global Peatlands Initiative and UN Environmental Programme. This assessment brings the best available science together to provide a global overview on peatland distribution, status, trends, and pressures. It informs decisions and guide action for the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of peatlands. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Global Peatlands Initiative's Research Working Group provided an online training programme for peatlands researchers to help building their capacity, fostering interdisciplinary research and promoting collaboration within the global peatlands research community. This network also offered me opportunities to expand the reach of impact of my research through the Global Peatlands Pavilion, a side event organised at the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. |
| Impact | Publication: UNEP (2022). Global Peatlands Assessment - The State of the World's Peatlands: Evidence for action toward the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of peatlands. Main Report. Global Peatlands Initiative. United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi. https://www.unep.org/resources/global-peatlands-assessment-2022 Engagement activity: Exhibition of media about peatlands in Peru at the Global Peatlands Pavilion (1-12 November 2021) including a permanent virtual exhibition at https://storage.net-fs.com/hosting/6147066/7/ |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Critical Conversations: Those Who Live by the Land podcast |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 41 people viewed the online podcast in which Dr Nina Laurie and Dr Euridice Honorio joined Dr Lydia Cole to discuss how researchers interact and influence those who live on site as well as the ethics of fieldwork. The 40-minute video was released by the Wardlaw Museum as part of a series of critical conversations that bring together voices from a variety of perspectives to consider some critical issues. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_AMLLdrd-E |
| Description | Participation in the Science Discovery Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | 31 pupils attended for a virtual visit to the Science Discovery Day organised by the University of St Andrews, which released a video written and produced by Euridice Honorio and Calum McAndrew about what lives on the peatlands of Peru. More than 2,000 viewers watched the video after the event, showing the interest of the general public in the subject. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/StAndEngaged/status/1505197413098659844 |
| Description | Press release of peatland statement |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | 18 reporters attended the press released organised by WCS where three panellists (including Euridice Honorio) were asked about a peatland statement signed by specialists to conserve peatlands, which generated media coverage reports and increased awareness about the need to conserve, manage, and restore peatlands. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://news.mongabay.com/2022/12/scientists-plead-for-protection-of-peatlands-the-worlds-carbon-cap... |
| Description | School visit for British Science week |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | 30 pupils attended for a school visit (Ilkley) during the British Science Week to listen about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) careers. Euridice Honorio talked about her work in science and her contribution to understanding tropical peatlands relating the topic to peatlands presence in the Ilkley Moors, which sparked questions and discussion and interest in exploring the (peat) substrate. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Talk about peatland climate mitigation in the Congo basin |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 35 postgraduate students attended the talk provided by Euridice Honorio about the conservation of tropical peatlands in climate change mitigation at the University of Marien Ngouabi (Brazzaville), which sparked questions and discussion afterwards, and the lecturer and students reported increased interest in the subject area. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Talk about peatland management for stakeholders in the Congo basin |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 15 professional practitioners, NGOs, and policymakers attended a talk given by Euridice Honorio on the sustainable management on Peruvian peatlands in Brazzaville, which generated discussion about the opportunities for protecting carbon stocks of Congo peatlands and livelihoods of rural communities, and participants reported increased interest in examples provided about sustainable resource use generating income. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Talk about peatland research for stakeholders in the Congo basin |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 80 students, researchers, NGOs, diplomats attended a series of talks organised by the Marien NGouabi University (Brazzaville) on the latest research on tropical peatlands, which sparked questions and discussion afterwards. Euridice Honorio talk about insights on protecting Congo peatlands from research and policy interaction in peatlands of the Peruvian Amazon, participants reported increased interest in examples provided about the sustainable management of peatlands. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Talk with Prof Monks about sustainable management of wetlands |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 20 people viewed the online talk in which Dr Katherine Roucoux and Euridice Honorio joined Professor Paul Monks to discuss sustainable management of Amazonian wetland ecosystems, the 30-minute video was released by the Newton Fund as part of a series of short conversations between the BEIS Chief Scientific Adviser and climate scientists. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.newton-gcrf.org/impact/climate-action/good-development/ |
| Description | The Curiosity Conversation podcast |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | At least 50 people from the general public listened to Euridice Honorio who spoke with Eilidh and Matt about making sustainable choices and having an impact, especially around peatland areas, attendees will find out more about the importance of these ecosystems and their role in protecting them. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://anchor.fm/curiosity-conversation |
| Description | Workshop for practitioners and professionals on peatlands |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 100 practitioners and professionals attended for a talk about methodologies for estimating peatland greenhouse gas emissions presented by Euridice Honorio in a workshop organised by FAO, which sparked questions and discussion afterwards, and the participants reported increased interest in the topics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://drive.google.com/file/d/18LyESwVMDcFcKbtZERMijVmGNDb2Ffry/view |
| Description | Workshop for practitioners on peatlands |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 10 professional practitioners of different governmental organisations of Peru attended a workshop organised by CIFOR and the University of St Andrews, which sparked questions and discussion afterwards, and the organisations reported increased interest in greenhouse gas emission on peatlands. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://forestsnews.cifor.org/79564/new-tools-and-knowledge-for-monitoring-peatlands-in-peru?fnl= |
| Description | Workshop on peatland management plans |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 20 professional practitioners, NGOs and regional government personnel attended a workshop on monitoring the harvesting of palm fruits in Peruvian peatlands (Iquitos), which sparked questions and discussion afterwards, and the Protected Areas National Service of Peru reported increased interest in using the monitoring protocols. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |