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Recognising Indigenous Stewardship of Nature in Cambodia

Published 13 Nov 2025

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With biodiversity loss and climate disruption widely recognised as inseparable challenges, the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP & LCs) is vital to protecting our planet. IP & LCs steward a significant share of the world’s remaining biodiversity-rich regions, making their leadership essential to confronting climate and ecological decline. GCBC’s work is grounded in supporting these communities to restore ecosystems, build climate resilience, and improve livelihoods.

In Cambodia, our SARIKA project is supporting community-led initiatives that restore ecosystems, protect species, and secure local rights, strengthening both biodiversity and planetary health. The following blog was kindly prepared by Emiel de Lange of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Sam At Rachana from the Cambodia Indigenous Peoples Organization (CIPO). 

You can find a Khmer-language version of the blog on the WCS website here

 

Indigenous Peoples and other place-based communities have stewarded forests and biodiversity for generations. To achieve conservation goals equitably, the world must learn from and support Indigenous stewardship.

In Cambodia’s Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary (KSWS), the Bunong people have sustained one of the planet’s most biodiverse forests through their traditional knowledge and cultural practices. The KSWS REDD+ program, led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment (MoE) with partners including the Cambodia Indigenous People’s Organisation (CIPO), has advanced recognition of Bunong stewardship by securing Indigenous Collective Land Titles (ICLTs) for seven communities.

Significant gaps remain, however, as forests and communities face fragmentation from outside pressures such as agricultural expansion for cashew and cassava, as well as concessions for ecotourism development.

Supported by the Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate (GCBC) and KSWS REDD+, the SARIKA project — a partnership of Indigenous Peoples, WCS, CIPO, MoE, and researchers from Monash University, University of Oxford, and the Royal University of Agriculture — is charting new pathways to recognise and respect Indigenous stewardship.

Documenting Bunong traditional knowledges and practices

At core of the SARIKA project is documentation of traditional knowledge and practices in three Bunong communities: Andoung Kraloeng, Sre Lvi, and Pu Kong. CIPO’s young Indigenous researchers work with communities, following Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, to identify what they want recognised and respected.

This Action Research approach has highlighted three interrelated domains:

  • Rotational agriculture (Mir Erm), which sustains livelihoods and allows forests to regenerate cyclically.
  • Protection of sacred burial ground forests (Brey Moch), where ancestors are laid to rest.
  • Sacred forests (Brey Ngak or Brey Vare), including mountains, rocks, and waterfalls linked to and inhabited by spirits.

The Bunong protect these areas, maintaining their cultural identity while safeguarding food, water, materials, and wildlife habitats. A future project phase will assess the biodiversity and climate impacts of these practices using modern scientific methods.

The Tov Khloung sacred forest

Tov Khloung, a sacred forest of Andoung Kraloeng, illustrates how Bunong spirituality and practice conserve ecosystems and cultural identity. Home to diverse trees, wildlife, and the area’s largest stream, Tov Khloung is traditionally protected as the dwelling of the guardian spirit Brah Nhjut Nglang. Local taboos prohibit fishing, hunting, and logging near the sacred headwaters. In return, the forest supplies medicinal plants, honey, wild mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and resins that support food security and income.

Traditional knowledge ensures sustainable harvest: access and use are regulated through rituals that encode rules for community and forest wellbeing, while elders patrol the forest and teach youth about the site. To date, these practices have preserved biodiversity, ecosystem services, and cultural heritage without formal state enforcement, exemplifying the integration of spiritual belief, customary rule, and sustainable resource management.

 

Indigenous Collective Land Titles and policy gaps

As we deepen our awareness of the ecological dimensions of Bunong spirituality and culture, gaps become evident in the current policy framework.

Indigenous Communal Land Title (ICLT) registration in Cambodia aims to safeguard collective property, including spirit and burial forests and reserved lands, which can be used for rotational agriculture. Although ICLTs offer uniquely strong legal protection in the Mekong region, Sub-Decree 83 limits titling of spirit and burial forests to seven hectares each, leaving many culturally and ecologically important areas unprotected.

One pathway to strengthen protection is expanding ICLTs to include more sacred sites. Researchers at the Royal University of Agriculture and Monash University are using innovative impact-evaluation methods to test whether ICLT registration helps communities protect forests, providing practical evidence to support legal reform and complementary rights-based arguments.

Strengthening Indigenous-led conservation models

SARIKA aims to revitalise and recognise Bunong ways of knowing and relating to land through these diverse strands of documentation, evidence generation, and partnership-building. It supports state recognition mechanisms such as ICLTs and heritage demarcation, and strengthens partnerships among Indigenous communities, conservationists, policymakers, and researchers.

The project also promotes intergenerational exchange within and among Bunong communities, deepening appreciation of cultural practices and their contributions to planetary wellbeing.

The Bunong are the most authoritative advocates for their lands and lifeways; the wider world must learn to listen, recognise, respect, and support their stewardship.

 

To learn more about the work taking place in the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary in Cambodia, visit the SARIKA Project page.

 

Image Credits: All photos were taken in the Brey Ngak sacred forest of the Bunong people. Photographer: Tong Len
1. An aerial view of a sacred forest (Brey Ngak) protected by the Bunong community of Pu Kong
2. Mr Treub Thaeum, the chief of the Bunong Indigenous community at Pu Kong
3. A Bunong woman from the Pu Kong community
4. Sam At Rachana and Pin Plil , members of the CIPO research team, with Mr Treub Thaeum during the heritage demarcation activity
5. Pu Kong community members preparing to visit the sacred forest for demarcation
6. Trees in the Bunong spirit forest
7. A shelter built for the spirits of the sacred forest (Brey Ngak)
8. Trees in the Bunong spirit forest

 

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Turning Biodiversity into Livelihoods: Lessons from West Kalimantan’s Peatlands 

Published 11 Nov 2025

GCBC

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In Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province, the peatland forest around Pematang Gadung village holds the memory of fire, logging, and mining—but also the promise of renewal. Once scarred by extraction, this landscape is now at the center of a growing effort to make biodiversity itself a source of income and pride for local communities. 

During her October visit, GCBC’s Anna Adamczyk observed both the promise and the practical challenges of turning biodiversity into a measurable and tradable community asset.

 

A New Currency for Nature 

Unlike extractive commodities such as timber or palm oil, biodiversity credits place ecological health at the core of the economy. Each credit represents a verified improvement or sustained enhancement in species diversity or habitat quality, measured over time through transparent, science-based methods.

As Harry Tittensor from Plan Vivo describes, they provide a “certified positive contribution to nature.”

These credits can be traded on voluntary markets, channelling funds to those who restore and protect natural ecosystems. Under the Plan Vivo Nature Standard (standard for biodiversity credits), at least 60 percent of the revenue from credit sales must go directly to local communities.  

In West Kalimantan, biodiversity credits are moving from theory to practice. Supported by GCBC through the BREL-Borneo project led by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, the October workshops brought together the Plan Vivo Foundation, Biometrio Earth, YIARI, and local communities. Together, they’re helping Pematang Gadung villagers certify biodiversity credits for their 7,000-hectare Village Forest – a peatland ecosystem protected for nearly a decade and home to endangered orangutans, proboscis monkeys, and rare wetland flora.

 

Learning by Doing in the Peatlands 

At the YIARI Learning Center, participants explored how robust data collection underpins the verification of biodiversity credits. Led and organised by Plan Vivo, the workshop provided technical demonstrations on monitoring methods. As part of the pre-deployment phase, participants set up camera traps and acoustic sensors in the nearby forest. Each project collects species and habitat data annually, tracking indicators such as species richness, diversity, and overall habitat health.

Community members were active participants, contributing thoughtful reflections to discussions. Ilyas, Head of Koperasi Mandiri Pematang Gadung Sejahtera, the cooperative co-developing the project together with the Pematang Gadung Village Forest Management Unit (LPHD Pematang Gadung), emphasised that “It’s important for us to clearly understand the process so we can explain the tangible benefits of biodiversity credits back to our community.” 

Later, participants travelled by boat to the Pematang Gadung conservation station, accessible only through the waterways – to test their new skills in a real ecosystem and meet members of the local forest patrols. The long-term goal is for more and more members of the local community to take on forest restoration, wildlife monitoring and patrolling roles, thereby shifting the local economy from an extractive to a regenerative model.

Bridging the Finance Gap 

One of the clearest messages from the workshop was that, from the perspective of small community projects, biodiversity credit certification can be seen as complex and expensive. Costs include expert validation, field data collection, equipment, and baseline surveys. Once the baseline is established, projects enter a two-year monitoring period before the first biodiversity credits can be issued and sold. During this time, communities must maintain operations and collect data without guarantee of income. 

As YIARI’s NBS Senior Lead, Dr. Dorothea Pio, explained, the financial gap between early action and the eventual issuance of biodiversity credits remains one of the biggest challenges. Sustaining field activities throughout this period also requires genuine leadership and commitment from the village. 

Even after credits are obtained, uncertainty persists – long-term financial viability depends on the maturity and strength of the emerging biodiversity credit market. As Dorothea reflected, “The long-term success of the project will in large part, depend on how highly the global community values these critical ecosystems and their biodiversity and whether that value can compete with other market forces.” 

The solution emerging in Kalimantan is partnership. These collaborations show that lasting conservation grows from relationships of trust and shared learning, not just funding streams or policy frameworks.

From Challenge to Opportunity 

The solution emerging in Kalimantan is partnership. Organisations like YIARI act as technical advisors – helping communities navigate the process of obtaining biodiversity credits, secure early-stage funding, and manage transparent reporting. These collaborations show that lasting conservation grows from relationships of trust and shared learning, not just funding streams or policy frameworks. 

Plan Vivo, as the certifying organisation, also seeks to address these earlier-mentioned challenges by prioritising accessibility, participatory approaches, and community empowerment within its standards to ensure communities can access finance and take ownership of implementation. 

The experience in Pematang Gadung highlights that, while bridging the gap between early action, credit issuance, and the eventual sale of credits is challenging, it also opens the door to a more sustainable future.

Ultimately, the lessons from Kalimantan point toward replication and scaling—informing best practices for other community forests, peatlands, and marine ecosystems. Encouragingly, other organisations from the region have also joined the workshops to explore how biodiversity credits could support conservation in their own ecosystems.

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This report was written by GCBC’s Anna Adamczyk and published with the kind permission of Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, Plan Vivo and YIARI.

Follow the link for more on our BREL-Borneo project: BREL-Borneo: Benefits of Biodiverse Restoration for Ecosystems and Livelihoods in Borneo

 

 

Image credits: All photos were taken by Anna Adamczyk, GCBC, and Pahjar Riudha and Indrawan from YIARI. 

Image 1: Busran and Pak Ilyas from Koperasi Mandiri Pematang Gadung Sejahtera (KMPGS) are placing camera trap on a tree for biodiversity monitoring. 

Image 2: Analysis of biodiversity data with Biometrio Earth and the local community. 

Image 3: Testing deployment of biodiversity monitoring tool before going to the field.

Image 4: Group picture of workshop participants, representatives of Plan Vivo, Biometrio Earth, Koperasi Mandiri Pematang Gadung Sejahtera (KMPGS), Village Forest Management Unit (LPHD), GCBC, Konservasi Indonesia, WeBe and GCBC.

Image 5: Pandi and Jaka after successfully installing audiorecorder in peatland forest.

Image 6: Jaka and Icha from Koperasi Mandiri Pematang Gadung Sejahtera (KMPGS) installing audiorecorder in the peatland forest.

Image 7: Participants arriving in Pematang Gadung Conservation Station.

Image 8: Katus, Camp coordinator is introducing project area to participants.

Image 9: Local community with Plan Vivo and GCBC after successfully installing camera traps and audiorecorders in peatland forest

Image 10: Biodiversity credits workshops participants in Pematang Gadung Conservation Station. 

 

 

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Weaving Transformative Resilience and Active Hope: An Alliance in the Face of Climate Change in the Gran Tescual Indigenous Reservation

Published 29 Jul 2025

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The inclusion of Indigenous Peoples is essential to protecting global biodiversity and is central to GCBC’s mission of advancing climate resilience through nature.

Colombia, one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, harbors around 10% of global biodiversity within just 0.7% of Earth’s surface. With ecosystems under growing threat, the sustainable stewardship of Indigenous territories, rooted in Indigenous knowledge, leadership, and rights, is crucial to safeguarding both ecological and cultural heritage

Corporación CIASE, in partnership with the Gran Tescual Indigenous Reservation of the Pasto People, is leading a research initiative to protect local ecosystems, enhance community well-being, and support biodiversity conservation. A recent key output of the project, the Illustrated Botanical Guide to the Gran Tescual Reservation, documents the region’s rich plant diversity and presents ancestral knowledge as a valuable resource for education and conservation.

To mark the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples and to celebrate the guide’s release, CIASE members have contributed a special article, reflecting on their collaboration with the Pasto community and the role of ancestral knowledge in shaping inclusive, sustainable climate action.

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The following article was written for GCBC by Corporación CIASE. 

In today’s world, increasingly affected by the accelerating climate crisis, there is an urgent need to seek collective paths that challenge excessive consumerism, while teaching us about care and empathy for the world’s finite natural resources.

The alliance in Colombia between Corporación de Investigación y Acción Social y Económica (CIASE)—a feminist and mixed-gender organisation—and the Pan-Amazonian Indigenous Reservation of Gran Tescual, inhabited by the Pasto people, forms part of this collective search. This alliance has been consolidated through years of equitable collaboration and the implementation of various initiatives, the most recent being the development of the Climate Plan for the Reservation.

In this process, research oriented towards biodiversity protection and the integration of Indigenous knowledge to preserve biocultural heritage (see The Botanical Guide of the Gran Tescual Resguardo) has opened space for reflections on the safeguarding of strategic ecosystems such as the páramo (high treeless plateaus), food sovereignty, and gender dynamics.

Image 1 shows women from the Pasto community outside their restaurant initiative in the resguardo, with Daniela Torres,  Mama Genith Quitiaquez,  Taita Vicente Obando, Ricardo Ibarguen, Wendy Toro and Rosa Emilia Salamanca from Corporación de Investigación y Acción Social y Económica (CIASE). Image 2 shows the full CIASE team: Mama Genith Quitiaquez, Rosa Emilia Salamanca, Wendy Toro, Germán Niño (behind) Fredy O Chávez, Taita Vicente Obando, Angel E Gamboa, Patricia Luli, Ricardo Ibarguen, Maria Cristina Umbarila and Felipe Imbacuan.

 

Indigenous knowledge and feminist perspectives can walk together and contribute to building futures that are more just, more inclusive, and, above all, allow such transformations to become more embedded in the daily lives of communities.

— Wendy Toro, CIASE Researcher

Extractive industries, agricultural expansion, megaprojects and internal armed conflicts in our country have been historical obstacles to ensuring the quality of life for communities facing multiple forms of exclusion—such as Indigenous peoples, women, and others whose identities have been placed in positions of denial and oppression.

This unfolds within a broader context shaped by Western modernity, which has influenced how we relate to and make sense of the world. These ways of thinking have also informed scientific approaches, which, have at times led to an instrumental perspective on the environment, where everything is seen as a resource.

It is at this juncture that CIASE’s approach centered on gender justice and the Indigenous knowledge of the Pasto People interweave to form an inspiring proposal. In order to understand the roots of today’s climate crisis, this alliance brings the gender–environment intersection to the forefront.

It raises fundamental questions: To what extent does the association of weakness with the feminine—viewed as something to be possessed—sustain and justify violence against women and, to a large extent, against nature? And how does the notion of masculinity as a dominant and possessive force reflect itself in the extractive practices that destroy and exploit vital ecosystems? [1]

Feminism still feels like a somewhat foreign approach. In the Pasto community, it’s often mocked or seen as a loss of manhood—as if men are being feminised. [However], through the feminist lens, we’ve begun to raise awareness about economic mistreatment, and I find it quite striking how an approach like this can bring about transformation and change.

— Taita Vicente Obando, Indigenous Governor of Gran Tescual

Promoting women's participation isn’t just about creating a space for women—it’s about creating a better environment for the entire community. And in that sense, feminism can say: this is not only a struggle for women, it is a struggle for society as a whole.

— Mama Genith Quitiaquez, Authority of Gran Tescual

This experience has also been a space where everyday encounters and practice challenge the illusion of objectivity and the idea of a single truth. It demands situating knowledge, decolonising research processes, and recognising the legitimacy of Indigenous self-governance. This has allowed for mutual curiosity and learning, enabling the weaving of life experiences and knowledge towards a heartfelt construction of peace within the Colombian context—through active listening.

The synergy of knowledge systems, perspectives, and identities—even those within a single person—resonates with the relationship between the Andean and Amazonian ecosystems that converge in the Gran Tescual Reservation. From this interaction emerges abundant biodiversity and essential ecological processes that maintain the balance and vitality of both regions.

The Indigenous knowledge of the Gran Tescual Reservation offers a deeply relational vision, where spirituality, community and territory are inseparable.

— Daniela Torres, Climate Advocacy Specialist at CIASE

The relationship between CIASE and the Gran Tescual Reservation is not a mere coming together of good intentions – it is a novel construction between differences. Here, the “quality of the relationship” becomes the foundation for facing complex challenges of cultural transformation. This collaboration goes beyond technical support; it is based on building mutual trust through dialogue, and for that to happen, both parties have shown a necessary openness.

“Transformation also entails a reworking of everyday and family realities, and that, in turn, shapes how we relate to the territory.”
— Felipe Imbacuan, Researcher from the Pasto People and Municipal Councillor of Puerres

This alliance offers a viable and proactive proposal for addressing the changes brought by the climate crisis from a deeply rooted ethnic and gender analysis—perspectives that challenge historical logics and cultures of discrimination, while calling for the recovery of ancestral thought as a path to restoring the territory.

“This initiative is a powerful and promising pathway to transform power relations in an integral way. It helps build shared visions of peace and drive a deep cultural shift. It is an undeniable intercultural dialogue that weaves together the heart of feminism—one that rejects all forms of discrimination and oppression—with the Indigenous vision of harmony and care for nature and the people who inhabit it, so central to the spirit of Colombia’s Indigenous peoples.”

— CIASE’s Centre for Thought (Patricia Luli and Rosa Emilia Salamanca G.)

Endnote

[1] Questions we have taken from classical ecofeminism.

 

References

CIASE (2025). Recuperar el pensamiento, restaurar el territorio: Diagnóstico participativo de biodiversidad y medios de vida del resguardo El Gran Tescual. CIASE

Brigitte Baptiste-Ballera (2025). TransEcología: Una guía patafísica para habitar las transformaciones del mundo. Ariel.

Maristela Svampa (2015). Feminismos del Sur y ecofeminismos. Recovered from: https://nuso.org/articulo/feminismos-del-sur-y-ecofeminismo

 

Discover More: Gran Tescual Indigenous Reservation Climate Plan

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Recognising Indigenous Knowledge in Cambodia’s Biodiversity Management

Published 24 Jul 2025

GCBC

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Inclusion of Indigenous Peoples is essential to safeguarding global biodiversity and is central to GCBC’s mission of leveraging biodiversity for climate resilience.

With a global population of over 476 million, Indigenous Peoples play a vital role in sustainability, managing or holding tenure rights to roughly a quarter of the Earth’s surface – regions that contain a significant share of the planet’s biodiversity. While disproportionately impacted by climate change, Indigenous Communities possess deep, place-based ecological knowledge that complements and enhances scientific research.

Recognising their critical role, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) includes a dedicated Target 22 to ensure the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples. In alignment with this global recognition, GCBC upholds the rights and voices of Indigenous Peoples as a core principle, and as a prerequisite for awarding research grants

The following report has been written by Sam At Rachana, Research Lead, Cambodia Indigenous Peoples Organization (CIPO)

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During June and July 2025, Cambodia hosted two significant events to launch the GCBC funded project, “Recognizing and Rewarding the Contribution of Indigenous Knowledge for the Sustainable Management of Biodiversity.” These powerful gatherings connected Indigenous communities, researchers, youth, elders, conservationists, and government representatives in collaborative shared spaces.

As a Bunong Indigenous person and lead researcher for this project, I found these events profoundly meaningful. They were not only a celebration of Indigenous knowledge but a practical step toward inclusive, co-designed biodiversity governance in Cambodia.

For context, the Bunong people are one of Cambodia’s largest Indigenous groups. We have a deep connection to the forest, land, and spiritual world, as reflected in our traditional ecological knowledge and cultural practices, which center on respect for nature and the spirits of the land.

Images show 1) Rachana Sam At, Lead Researcher, CIPO, at the national project launch in Phnom Penh 2) Rachana Sam At, Lead Researcher, with Indigenous elders and government officials during a panel discussion at the project launch event 3-5) His Excellency Chuop Paris, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Environment, greets Mrs Yun Mane, CIPO  Executive Director during the traditional opening ritual 6) Project researchers from CIPO, WCS, and the Royal University of Agriculture, with the Chief of the Indigenous community committee of Andong Kraleung village 7) Elders from Andong Kraleung village sharing their perspectives on the value of traditional knowledge.

This project aims to identify innovative approaches to enhance Indigenous stewardship of biodiversity within the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary by exploring the knowledge and sustainable practices of the Bunong people. It is implemented by a consortium which includes the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the Cambodia Indigenous Peoples Organization (CIPO), Monash University, the University of Oxford, the Royal University of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Environment.

 

Shared Beginnings

On June 16, 2025, the project launch took place at Phnom Penh’s Cambodiana Hotel. A traditional Bunong ritual, a symbolic act that grounded the project in Indigenous values and ways of being, showcased to all attendees, including officials and international partners, that Indigenous knowledge systems are living and deeply connected to nature.

A special performance by a young Indigenous man, blended traditional song with modern rap, demonstrating the innovative ways Indigenous youth are keeping their culture alive.

Featuring elders from the three participating communities, the panel discussion which followed marked a positive shift. Their direct address to officials, donors, researchers, and other stakeholders provided a crucial moment to address directly officials, donors, researchers, and other stakeholders. They shared stories, concerns, and ideas rooted in community, lived experiences, and ancestral knowledge, reminding everyone that Indigenous knowledge is a living, evolving spirit, passed down and actively practiced.

The active support of the Ministry of Environment added significant weight to the event. Their representatives not only attended but participated, listened, and expressed strong encouragement. One official even offered a three-day training on Participatory Action Research (PAR), that highlighted the potential for collaboration when understanding and respect are present.

 

Where Knowledge Lives

Following the national launch, a community event took place on July 2nd in Andong Kraleung village. Conducted in the traditional Bunong way, this event was an essential part of the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process, ensuring meaningful and culturally appropriate community engagement from the outset.

The Andong Kraleung launch was particularly special as it took place directly in the village, with the community leading. It began with a traditional Bunong dance performed by local students, a powerful display of cultural strength and identity. Mrs. Yun Mane, CIPO Executive Director, spoke about the importance of documenting Indigenous knowledge before it disappears, highlighting that for the Bunong, the forest is not merely a place but their market, bank, school, and sacred ground.

Dr Emiel de Lange, Wildlife Conservation Society, also shared insights, emphazing that Indigenous peoples have cared for the forest for centuries and possess unparalleled knowledge. He presented examples of documented traditional knowledge from Australia, encouraging the community to continue using their own voices to record their wisdom. This event felt like a strong, community-centered start.

 

Next Steps

The project will organize consultation meetings with Indigenous communities to identify research questions, clarify study objectives, and co-develop research questionnaires. These steps are crucial to ensure the research is grounded in Indigenous knowledge systems, supports self-determination, and addresses the communities’ real priorities.

Challenges lie ahead, including ensuring meaningful community participation throughout the research, as well as addressing power imbalances.

These recent events have left me feeling inspired, having witnessed elders, youth, researchers, and government genuinely engaging with one another. It reinforced my belief that efforts to amplify Indigenous voices are gaining traction and reminded me why I do this work: to see our knowledge recognized, respected, and rewarded in meaningful ways.

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Towards COP30: Belém Workshop Explores Forest Restoration in Pará

Published 24 Jul 2025

GCBC

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On 10 June 2025, the city of Belém hosted a key event on the future of forest restoration in the state of Pará. The workshop “Towards COP30 – Integrated and Participatory Planning for Forest Restoration in Response to the Climate Crisis” took place at Embrapa Amazônia Oriental.

Organised by Lancaster University, UK and Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, the workshop was part of the international research project “Enabling Large-scale and Climate-resilient Forest Restoration in the Eastern Amazon,” funded by GCBC and the Centre for Advanced Socioecological Research for Environmental Recovery (CAPOEIRA).

The milestone event brought together scientists, restoration practitioners, policymakers, and civil society organisations to spark dialogue, strengthen collaboration, and help steer forest restoration efforts through the Embrapa–Lancaster University partnership.

Images: 1) From left to right, Jos Barlow (Lancaster University), Leonardo Miranda (Lancaster University), Joice Ferreira (Embrapa Amazônia Oriental), and Erika Berenguer (University of Oxford). 2) Joice Ferreira (Embrapa Amazônia Oriental), with Jos Barlow (Lancaster University) seated beside her. Joice introduced both projects (GCBC and Capoeira) and outlined the day’s agenda. 3) Andrea Coelho (SEMAS-PA) presented perspectives from Pará State’s restoration strategy.

The event was attended by representatives from Pará State Secretariat for Environment and Sustainability (SEMAS), Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Amazon Institute of People and the Environment (Imazon), Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ/USP), International Institute for Sustainability (IIS), WRI Brazil, Socioenvironmental Institute (ISA), and the Amazon Restoration Alliance, among others.

Dr Joice Ferreira, co-founder of the Sustainable Amazon Network, highlighted that the event built on earlier co-construction efforts under the State Plan for Native Vegetation Recovery (PRVN), where Embrapa has played an active role.

“We’re now turning our attention to the spatial planning side of restoration,” she explained. “Our research is focused on identifying where restoration efforts can deliver the greatest impact—boosting climate action, enhancing biodiversity, and addressing critical challenges like water scarcity and food security.”

Professor Jos Barlow, Principle Investigator from the Lancaster Environment Centre, emphasized that the longstanding collaboration with Embrapa, and strong partnerships with Brazilian institutions, has been key to bridging restoration and forest conservation efforts. “Through this workshop,” he noted, “our goal was to sharpen the focus of our research, ensuring it responds directly to local challenges and supports practical, place-based solutions.”

 

Pará Aligns with Global Commitments

Pará currently has around 23.2 million hectares of open areas lacking native vegetation cover, equivalent to 18.6% of its territory. These environmental liabilities are concentrated in private lands (12.8 million ha), rural settlements (5 million ha), Indigenous territories (424,000 ha), quilombola territories (337,000 ha), protected areas (1.6 million ha), and undesignated public forests (2.9 million ha).

Many of these areas are used for low-productivity pasture and agriculture, especially in the eastern and southeastern parts of the state. On private lands alone, 2.88 million hectares are legally required to be restored under the Brazilian Forest Code, including Legal Reserves (RLs) and Permanent Protection Areas (APPs).

As a major South American country facing complex land-use challenges, Brazil has committed to restoring 12 million hectares by 2030, in line with international frameworks such as the Paris Agreement, the New York Declaration on Forests, and the Latin American 20×20 Initiative. For Pará, connecting to this global goal and restoring part of its environmental liabilities is both a legal obligation and a strategic move to reduce deforestation, recover ecosystem services, and promote a forest-based economy.

According to Andrea Coelho, Cabinet Advisor at the Secretaria de Meio Ambiente, Clima E Sustentabilidade (SEMAS), forest restoration in the Amazon requires a holistic, multi-scalar approach. “This is why coordination among public institutions, the productive sector, local communities, academia and civil society is so critical. Such collaboration allows for harmonisation of data, methodologies and capacities, and alignment of policies, funding programmes and on-the-ground efforts.”

Andrea added that this collaboration also strengthens governance and supports joint restoration efforts aligned with shared goals such as climate neutrality, biodiversity conservation and social inclusion. “It also improves resource allocation efficiency and avoids duplication, ensuring that restoration plans are grounded in technical evidence, social legitimacy, and territorial feasibility.”

Bringing together government, civil society, academia and local organisations is essential to ensuring that restoration strategies are not only scientifically sound but also socially legitimate and practically viable. No single institution has all the answers. Building integrated solutions requires bridges, exactly what this event set out to create.

Dr Leonardo De Sousa Miranda, University of Lancaster

 

COP30: An Opportunity

The workshop offered a vital opportunity to reflect on how Pará’s restoration efforts can align with global climate strategies, especially in the lead-up to COP30, taking place in Belém in November 2025. The event also strengthened the state’s spatial restoration planning and helped identify collaborative actions that could be showcased during the global climate summit.

Dr Leonardo de Sousa Miranda, researcher at Lancaster University and part of the organising committee, said the workshop came at a historic moment for Brazil, and especially for the Amazon, by offering a platform to highlight concrete examples of environmental leadership.

He stressed that large-scale restoration in the Amazon requires coordinated efforts among institutions with different roles and expertise. “Bringing together government, civil society, academia and local organisations is essential to ensuring that restoration strategies are not only scientifically sound but also socially legitimate and practically viable. No single institution has all the answers. Building integrated solutions requires bridges, exactly what this event set out to create.”

According to Leonardo, the approach goes beyond simply sharing data. “It’s about co-creating knowledge. We want to build together; listening to and learning from forest peoples, smallholder farmers, and restoration practitioners,” he added.

 

Programme Highlights

During the event, participants explored key themes such as restoration planning in Pará; key metrics and indicators for a multi-benefit restoration strategy beyond carbon; the incorporation of climate risks, such as drought and fire; and how to ensure genuine participation of producers, communities, technical experts, and public managers.

To foster these discussions, the workshop featured preliminary findings from collaborative projects that are mapping restoration opportunities, challenges, and pathways across Pará.

“This was a crucial step toward strengthening the technical, social, and political foundations for a more resilient Pará—one that is aligned with global climate goals,” concluded Joice Ferreira.

As the region moves toward COP30, the insights and alliances forged here mark an important milestone in the building of a more sustainable and inclusive restoration agenda for the Eastern Amazon.

 

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Rooted Alliances: Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL) Advances Inclusive Access in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Published 20 Jun 2025

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By conducting in-depth research, building trust, fostering dialogue, and empowering community leadership, we are advancing a transformation that is deeply rooted in the territory and designed for long-term resilience.

Professor Omar Malagón, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL)

In the Ecuadorian Amazon, the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL), in collaboration with Terrambiente Consulting and SEDEFA, has reached a major milestone in its efforts to lay a strong ethical, legal, and cultural foundation for sustainable innovation.

Driven by research and the commitment of specialists Ana María Rodríguez and Omar Malagón, the project “Realizing the Potential of Plant Bioresources as New Economic Opportunities for the Ecuadorian Amazon: Developing Climate-Resilient Sustainable Bioindustry” (BIOAMAZ), seeks to establish sustainable bioindustries based on essential oil production. This initiative addresses the interlinked challenges of climate vulnerability, biodiversity loss, and poverty by promoting alternatives to unsustainable economic practices that degrade ecosystems, restrict local development, and deepen poverty in indigenous communities.

Images feature the BIOAMAZ team and stakeholders (image 1), the Terrambiente team during their presentation (image 2), Karla Espinosa outlining the project’s legal scope (image 3), Team Leader Ana María Rodriguez delivering her presentation (image 4), and fieldwork scenes in the Amazon, including a Community Assembly (images 6-8).

 

The project recently reached a pivotal milestone with the signing of a strategic agreement with the Shuar Federation. This marks a key alliance in advancing the project’s goal of an inclusive and participatory approach. The agreement acknowledges the vital leadership of Indigenous peoples in safeguarding and sustainably managing Amazonian biodiversity, setting the stage for ongoing collaboration grounded in mutual respect and equity.

Additionally, the project has secured Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) Acts with seven other Indigenous communities: Jatari Ancestral, Kajekai, Cóndor Mirador, Obepare, San Antonio, San Virgilio, and Wita Waya. These agreements ensure respectful, transparent, and community-driven access to biological and genetic resources. The communities represent a rich mosaic of Indigenous nationalities: Obepare is Huaorani; San Antonio and Kajekai are Shuar; and Jatari, Cóndor Mirador, San Virgilio, and Wita Waya are Kichwa.

For these communities, the project represents more than an economic opportunity, it stands for autonomy, resilience, and cultural affirmation. After many years of calling for support, they see this initiative as a way of achieving greater sustainable economic independence, and a viable alternative of generating income for their people. As the project moves forward, they now look ahead to the next phase and the collaborative selection of plant species.

For the researchers, these agreements reflect a core value proposition: building a bioindustry that is equitable, grounded in dialogue, and shaped by the voices of Amazonian communities.

Next Steps

On 12 June, the teams from UTPL, Terrambiente, and SEDEFA delivered a dynamic presentation of their project to a diverse group of stakeholders, including high-level authorities from the Ministry of Environment, the National Congress, the United Kingdom Embassy, as well as members of local and international NGOs and the Ecuadorian pharmaceutical industry.

The next phase of the project will focus on establishing clear criteria for selecting potential plant species, conducting field visits to identify and evaluate promising candidates, conducting detailed studies of their growth cycles, collecting biological samples, and assessing natural populations.

These efforts will support the development of agroforestry systems, build local capacities, and strengthen strategic market connections for the resulting products. Insights from this phase will also inform regulatory recommendations aimed at ensuring the project’s sustainability and enabling its replication in other regions.

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The GCBC 2025 Research Symposium Open Day

04 Mar 2025

10:00 - 17:00 Hrs UTC

Hybrid

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Each year, the Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate hosts a research symposium focused on sharing big ideas, transformative practice and stories of impact.

This year, we invited the entire GCBC community to participate in the event through an online Open Day on Tuesday 4 March 2025.

The Open Day programme included four engaging sessions with speakers from around the world. You can access the session recordings below.

Additionally, the key takeaways from each panel session have been beautifully brought to life through the illustrations of Elly Jahnz.
 

Opening Session: Why supporting innovative research at the intersection of climate change, biodiversity loss, and poverty alleviation matters.


 

Panel Discussion 1: Contributing to global goals – Exploring the science behind national and global frameworks and targets.


 

Panel Discussion 2: Strengthening the connection between evidence and policy with a focus on practice from across the GCBC community.


 

Panel Discussion 3: Harnessing private sector investment in Nature-based Solutions.


 
For more information, read our blog on the Symposium, written by Samantha Morris, to explore the key outcomes from the full three-day event.

Thank you so much to all members of our GCBC research community who joined us in person and online for the symposium, and to our wonderful speakers, panelists, and chairs for your insight, expertise, and for generously giving your time to be with us.

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The GCBC Research Grant Competition 3 (RGC3) Concept Note application has CLOSED

Published 04 Feb 2025

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The GCBC Opportunities Portal for Concept Note submissions for the Third Research Grant Competition (RGC3) CLOSED at 23:00 hrs UTC, on Sunday, 16 March, 2025. Any applications submitted after that time and date will not be accepted or considered for the full proposal stage. 

The GCBC extends grateful thanks to all applicants who made submissions through the Opportunities Portal. We have been delighted with the responses to this grant call, particularly from the Global South.

Over the next few weeks we will be working through the applications, carrying out eligibility checks, technical evaluations, moderation and scientific meetings to establish the most suitable Concept Notes to take forward to the next round. 

RGC3 Themes

The two research themes of this RGC3 are:  

  • Theme 1: Using biodiversity to improve the climate resilience of agricultural, food and bioeconomy value chains – Transforming agrifood systems at scale to incorporate nature-based solutions that build biodiversity back into production landscapes to boost climate resilience and reduce poverty (open to all GCBC focus regions). 
  • Theme 2: Biodiversity hotspots in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) – Building sustainable businesses from nature to adapt to climate change, protect biodiversity, and tackle poverty (focused in SIDS). 

The GCBC, a UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), aims to fund a mixed portfolio of up to twenty grants in RGC3, covering a range of topics and geographies across both themes. Grants sums of between £100,000 and £1 million are offered for projects of 12-36 months duration. 

The GCBC will accept proposals for projects with activities in GCBC-eligible countries in Latin America (including Central America), the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South-east Asia and the Pacific and Small Island Developing States. A list of GCBC eligible countries is available here. To be accepted for funding under the GCBC programme projects must demonstrate: 

  • Fit to GCBC: All proposals need to address poverty alleviation and climate resilience, focusing on approaches that better value, protect, restore and sustainably manage biodiversity. 
  • Fit to theme: Proposals must address research questions within one of the themes set out above. 
  • GESI: All proposals must incorporate clear plans to factor in gender, equality and social inclusion from the outset. 
  • R&D: Proposed work must meet the definition of research and development: creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge – including knowledge of humankind, culture and society – and to devise new applications of available knowledge (OECD, 2015). 

 

 

 

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Research Grant Competition 2 (RGC2): The GCBC awards £13.4 million in UK ODA grants for research to find nature-based solutions to climate change and poverty reduction   

Published 14 Jan 2025

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RGC2 awards 18 new project grants worth £13.4 million based on the theme: “Driving innovation in how biodiversity can support climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods through practice and governance”. 

Initial concept note applications for the second GCBC research grant competition (RGC2) numbered 507 from lead delivery partners in 60 UK-ODA eligible countries. This response more than trebled the 155 applications submitted for the first round of grants in 2023. From the initial concept notes, 56 applications were selected to submit full proposals.    

Grant awards were made using several criteria, including applications’ contribution to the context of the RGC2 theme. These involved assessing applicants’ understanding of how addressing evidence gaps in the potential of nature-based solutions using less utilised species (plants, animals, insects, fungi, trees etc.) can contribute to:   

  • improving poor livelihoods through more resilience to climate change;  
  • meeting resource or service demands; and  
  • protecting and conserving traditional knowledge and biodiversity.  

Filling these evidence gaps is critical to finding innovative approaches to guide practice and governance.  

Climate change, biodiversity loss and poverty are three of the most pressing challenges facing the world today and are fundamentally inter-linked. Climate change, driven by human activity, is increasingly and negatively affecting people and the natural environment. Biodiversity loss, which also results from human activity, is causing degraded landscapes and soil and increasing food insecurity. This exacerbates climate risk by reducing the resilience of natural and managed ecosystems. Unfortunately, those living in poverty are often the most vulnerable and the least able to respond to the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss. 

By working in partnership with scientists, research institutions and practitioners around the world, the GCBC seeks to develop innovative research and scalable approaches to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. This will have an impact on ecosystem resilience to climate change, halting and reversing biodiversity loss, contributing to poverty alleviation and helping countries to achieve a nature-positive future. The GCBC is funded by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs working in partnership with DAI as the Fund Manager Lead and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew as the Strategic Science Lead.  

The 18 projects awarded under RGC2 will be implemented in 16 UK ODA-eligible countries in the Global South; seven countries from Latin America (including Central America) and the Caribbean (Brazil; Colombia; Ecuador; Dominican Republic; Guatemala; Panama; Peru); six from Sub-Saharan Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo; Ethiopia; Ghana; Kenya; Tanzania; Republic of Congo); and three from South East Asia and the Pacific (Cambodia; Indonesia; Vietnam).  

Eleven of the RGC2 projects cover broad thematic areas: Agroforestry; Community led approaches; Integrated land / water management; and Forest restoration. Seven of the projects cover more uniquely focused research areas: Seagrass restoration; Carbon markets; Biodiverse seed bank; Mangrove restoration; Peatlands; Land use (landscape level); and Underutilised species for soil restoration.  

“This new round of 18 diverse and innovative projects represents a consolidation of the ‘Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate’ as Defra’s flagship ODA R&D programme.  These new projects will continue GCBC’s growing reputation for delivery of high-quality evidence about the effective and sustainable use of biodiversity for climate resilience and to improve livelihoods.” said Professor Gideon Henderson, Chief Scientific Adviser, UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

“As fund management lead, DAI is delighted to continue our relationship with Defra and especially to welcome the successful applicants who are joining the GCBC’s project portfolio for the next phase of the programme’s development. Through this project round, we will continue to support scientists, academics and research institutions working to build stronger capacity, increase collaboration, deliver high-impact projects and share learning on the biodiversity-climate-livelihoods nexus that will have an impact on ecosystem resilience to climate change, halting and reversing biodiversity loss and contributing to poverty alleviation,” said Luqman Ahmad, Senior Vice President, DAI.  

“As strategic science lead, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew also welcomes the new projects to the growing portfolio. The new evidence, data and knowledge across pressures/drivers, solutions and enablers for the different themes of the grant competitions will support the adoption of systems approaches in tackling the nexus of climate, biodiversity and livelihoods. By understanding and managing the complex interactions between science, society and the multiple interacting systems through temporal and spatial scales it will be possible to recommend solutions – orientated approaches for transformative change across different sectors and regions,” said Professor Monique Simmonds, Deputy Director, Science (Partnerships), The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.    

The 18 Projects funded by RGC2:

Assessing Carbon Credits as a Sustainable Funding Mechanism for Participatory Forest Management in Tanzania – Lead Grantee: Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania (Country: Tanzania)

Biodiversity for climate and social resilience: Empowerment of coastal communities in sustainable production practices in Ecuador – Lead Grantee: Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral – ESPOL, Ecuador (Country: Ecuador)

Biodiversity science in support of community-led conservation of threatened local forests in Tompotika, Central Sulawesi: Protecting biodiversity, ecosystem services and climate resilient local livelihoods – Lead Grantee: Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), USA (Country: Indonesia)

Biodiversity potential for resilient livelihoods in the Lower Omo, Ethiopia – Lead Grantee: University of Leeds, UK (Country: Ethiopia)

BREL-Borneo: Benefits of Biodiverse Restoration for Ecosystems and Livelihoods in Borneo – Lead Grantee: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, UK (Country: Indonesia)

Cataloguing and Rating of Opportunities for Side-lined Species in Restoration of Agriculturally Degraded Soils in Sub-Saharan Africa (CROSSROADS-SSA) – Lead Grantee: University of Aberdeen, UK (Country: Ethiopia)

Creation of an Intercultural biodiverse Seed Bank with the indigenous “Resguardo Puerto Naranjo” for enhancing restoration and conservation efforts in degraded areas in the Colombian Amazon – Lead Grantee: Fundación Tropenbos, Colombia (Country: Colombia)

EMBRACE: Engaging Local Communities in Minor Crop Utilisation for Biodiversity Conservation and Livelihood Enrichment – Lead Grantee: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI), Ghana (Countries: Ghana and Kenya)

Enabling large-scale and climate-resilient forest restoration in the Eastern Amazon – Lead Grantee: Lancaster University, UK (Country: Brazil)

Exploring sustainable land use pathways for ecosystems, food security and poverty alleviation: opportunities for Indonesia’s food estate programme – Lead Grantee: University of Sussex, UK (Country: Indonesia)

Forest restoration on Indigenous lands: Restoring biodiversity for multiple ecosystem services, community resilience and financial sustainability through locally informed strategies and incentives – Lead Grantee: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama (Country: Panama)

Integrated Land and Water Management of the Greater Amanzule Wetland System – Lead Grantee: University of Education, Winneba, Ghana (Country: Ghana)

NATIVE: Sustainable Riverscape Management for Resilient Riverine Communities – Lead Grantee: University of Lincoln, UK (Countries: Colombia and Dominican Republic)

Nature based solutions for climate resilience of local and Indigenous communities in Guatemala – Lead Grantee: University of Greenwich, UK (Country: Guatemala)

Realising the potential of plant bioresources as new economic opportunities for the Ecuadorian Amazon: developing climate resilient sustainable bioindustry – Lead Grantee: Universidad Tecnica Particular de Loja, Ecuador (Country: Ecuador)  

Recognising and rewarding the contribution of Indigenous knowledge for the sustainable management of biodiversity – Lead Grantee: Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), USA (Country: Cambodia)

TRIALS: Translating Research into Action for Livelihoods and Seagrass: Establishing scientific foundation for seagrass restoration and blue carbon potential, with sustainable livelihood development for coastal communities in Central Vietnam – Lead Grantee: WWF-UK, UK (Country: Vietnam)

Using biodiversity to support climate resilient livelihoods in intact tropical peatlands  – Lead Grantee: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK   (Countries: Peru, the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo)  

 

Photo Credit (Detail): Laitche

 

 

 

 

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Kaboni kwa Misitu Yetu: Assessing Carbon Credits as a Sustainable Funding Mechanism for Tanzanian Village Forests

Project Details

Status: Active
GCBC Funding Round: RGC2
Grant Value: £216, 868
Dates: Nov 24-Oct 27

Published 14 Jan 2025

GCBC

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Project Summary

Countries: Tanzania

Delivery Partner: Sokoine University of Agriculture

Project Partners: Bangor University, National Carbon Monitoring Centre, Tanzania

Principal Investigator: Dr. Kajenje Magessa, Lecturer, Researcher and Consultant in policy and natural resources governance, Department of Forest Resources Assessment and Management, College of Forestry, Wildlife and Tourism (CFWT), Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA). 

Contact: kajenje.magessa@sua.ac.tz

Kaboni Kwa Misitu Yetu is evaluating the economic, social and governance feasibility of accessing carbon markets to help sustainably manage village forests in Tanzania.

Challenge

Villages manage nearly half of all forests in Tanzania but are struggling to ensure management is economically and socially sustainable. Potentially, selling carbon credits could provide vital revenues and there are some high-profile examples of Tanzanian villages accessing carbon finance.

However, the feasibility of accessing these funds is untested for most village forests: considerable economic, social, technical and governance challenges must be surmounted if this approach is to be scalable across the country. Capacity needs to be built in communities, districts and at the national level and the experiences of villages already benefitting from carbon finance need to be shared widely so that more communities can make well informed decisions about whether and how to participate in carbon markets.

 

Insight

To address these challenges, we are working with communities who have expressed an interest in accessing carbon markets.

We will;

• Evaluate the economic and social viability of carbon finance for village forests;
• Assess the capacity and governance needs of communities and other stakeholders;
• Assess the potential for carbon revenues from sustainably managing village forests;
• Organise peer-peer exchanges to promote learning between villages engaged in carbon markets, and those interested in engaging;
• Recommend how national and international policy should develop to help villages capture the global benefits generated by their forest management.

Collaboration

The project is led by researchers from Sokoine University of Agriculture, working closely with communities from five Village Land Forest Reserves as well as experts from Tanzania’s National Carbon Monitoring Centre and Bangor University, Wales, UK.

 

We aim to evaluate the viability of carbon credits as a source of funding for Tanzanian village forests, and build stakeholders’ capacity to make informed decisions about how to harness carbon markets to combat climate change, safeguard biodiversity, and alleviate poverty in Tanzania’s forested areas.

Dr Kajenje Magessa, Principal Investigator, Sokoine University of Agriculture.

Discover More

More: www.carboncreditspfmtz.sua.ac.tz

Dr Kajenje Magessa

Dr Kajenje Magessa is a distinguished social scientist primarily focused on forests and their role in sustainable development. She has an extensive background in empirical research, across a range of topics including Participatory Forest Management, policy analysis, natural resource governance and the socio-economic impacts of conservation on rural livelihoods. Prior to her current role Dr. Kajenje served as a research officer at Tanzania Forestry Research Institute for more than a decade and has been a visiting lecturer at the University of Göttingen in Germany and Bangor University in the United Kingdom.

 

Photograph (detail): Laitche

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