Evaluating The Rimba Raya Project

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Project Description

The Rimba Raya Project in Indonesia is a landmark in carbon offset initiatives. As the first REDD+ project validated under the Verified Carbon Standard, it set a precedent for future forest conservation efforts aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Located in Borneo, this project aims to prevent around 105 million tonnes of CO2 emissions over three decades, making it a significant contributor to climate change mitigation through carbon markets.

From June 2013 to April 2024, Rimba Raya issued 33.63 million carbon credits, accounting for roughly 6.84% of all nature-based avoidance credits issued by Verra. This underscores the project’s substantial impact and critical role in the voluntary carbon market.

However, the Rimba Raya project has faced challenges, particularly from wildfires. These natural disasters not only threaten the local ecosystem but also put the project’s carbon sequestration goals at risk. The occurrence of wildfires in this vital conservation area highlights the vulnerability of carbon projects to natural hazards, emphasizing the potential for reversal of carbon gains.

Project Characteristics

Project Type: Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU), specifically focusing on REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation).

VCS Methodology: The project uses the VM0007 methodology.

Hectares: The project area covers 47,237 hectares.

Project Management zone: 91,215 hectares

Project Analysis

The Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve project in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, is a significant REDD+ initiative aimed at preventing deforestation and forest degradation. In addition to reducing carbon emissions, the project focuses on protecting biodiversity and supporting local communities through comprehensive management strategies that integrate wildlife conservation, community development, and climate change mitigation efforts.

Benefits to Climate:

The project is projected to prevent the emission of approximately 105 million tonnes of CO2 over three decades. By conserving large areas of forest, Rimba Raya makes a substantial contribution to global climate change mitigation, aligning with the goals of voluntary carbon markets.

Benefits to Communities:

The Rimba Raya project enhances local livelihoods by promoting sustainable land management, preserving traditional knowledge, and developing alternative income sources. It actively engages local stakeholders in conservation efforts, ensuring that the social and economic benefits are shared across the community.

Benefits to Biodiversity:

As one of the world’s most biodiverse regions, Rimba Raya plays a crucial role in protecting endangered species such as orangutans. By preserving large, contiguous forest areas, the project helps maintain critical habitats and supports the broader ecological integrity of the region.

Land Use Categories

The Rimba Raya project encompasses various land cover types, each contributing to the region’s ecological balance and carbon sequestration potential. Tree cover dominates 90.26% of the total area, underscoring the emphasis on forest conservation for biodiversity and climate goals. Other land types include grasslands (4.37%), shrub and scrub areas (3.93%), and flooded vegetation (0.39%), all essential for maintaining the area’s ecological diversity. Water bodies (0.35%), crops (0.25%), built-up areas (0.40%), and bare land (0.06%) are present in smaller proportions. Between June 2016 and December 2023, the project successfully maintained 41,895.71 hectares of forest, representing 64.99% of the total area. Despite challenges, such as the deforestation of 6,661.6 hectares (10.33%), the project achieved a net gain of 7,275.23 hectares (11.28%) in forest cover. The forest ratio now stands at 76.27%, demonstrating the project’s resilience and effective reforestation efforts. These land use insights are critical for guiding future conservation strategies and ensuring the ongoing ecological integrity of the Rimba Raya reserve.

Historical Deforestation

Deforestation remains a significant threat in the region. Every minute, an area equivalent to five football fields is cleared for oil palm plantations. According to project documents, historical deforestation from 2005 to 2010 was analyzed, showing an annual rate of 6,113.7 hectares per year during that period.

Orbify’s Evaluation

After reviewing the Rimba Raya project documentation, we conducted an analysis using the Orbify platform. Our findings show that the average deforestation rate within the defined project area is 478.56 hectares per year.

The Orbify platform visualizes forest loss over time, from 2000 to 2022, within the project boundaries. Green areas on the map represent maintained forests, while red areas indicate forest loss. Notably, deforestation peaked around 2016, with nearly 10,000 hectares lost during that period. The platform’s chart breaks down annual forest loss, offering critical insights into the most concerning periods and revealing ongoing deforestation trends.

Key Differences

There is a significant difference between the deforestation data presented by the Orbify platform and the figures in the Rimba Raya report. This discrepancy arises because the report covers a larger area, while Orbify’s analysis focuses exclusively on the defined project area.

Above Ground Biomass

The Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve Project spans an area of 47,237 hectares, consisting mainly of Peat Swamp Forest and Tropical Forest. Although the project documentation did not provide specific data on above-ground biomass (AGB), we calculated it using our analysis tools.

Orbify’s Evaluation

Using Orbify’s platform, we generated a biomass density map for the project area, with values ranging from 150 to 635 tons per hectare and an uncertainty range between 0 and 325 tons per hectare. The statistical summary indicates a total AGB of 4,775,548 tons, with an average concentration of 74.08 tons per hectare. This data provides valuable insight into the region’s carbon storage potential, contributing to the overall understanding of the project’s impact on carbon sequestration.

Biodiversity Indicators

A preliminary assessment of High Conservation Values in the Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve and the contiguous habitats within Tanjung Puting National Park identifies numerous species of animals and plants that benefit from the project’s activities. These include species that are threatened, endangered, have restricted ranges, or are otherwise protected.

• Mammals: The project zone is home to 29 species of endangered, threatened, or vulnerable mammals, including the Endangered Bornean Orangutan. Across the entire project area, more than 94 mammal species are present, with around 122 mammal species estimated to inhabit the project zone, based on IUCN’s conservation status.

• Birds: Approximately 361 bird species are expected to be present in the Rimba Raya project area. Of these, 83 species are protected under Indonesian law, and 48 are listed under CITES Annex 7, highlighting the area’s critical importance for bird conservation.

• Plants: Initial research indicates that plant species diversity in the project area is exceptionally high. Many species are rare, threatened, or protected, with 45 species considered threatened by the IUCN.

• Reptiles and Amphibians: Fifteen species of herpetofauna have been confirmed in Tanjung Puting National Park, showcasing the ecological diversity of the region.

Orbify’s Evaluation

Orbify’s platform provides a detailed map illustrating the habitat and forest health in the Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve. It shows the forest integrity index, habitat types (such as forest, shrubland, and wetlands), and the biodiversity intactness index from 2016 to 2020. Green areas indicate intact forest regions, while other colors represent different habitat types. Both the forest integrity and biodiversity indices suggest a relatively healthy ecosystem within the project boundaries, demonstrating the project’s effectiveness in maintaining critical habitats.

Protected and Indigenous Territories

Tanjung Puting National Park (TPNP) borders the Rimba Raya Reserve to the west. Based on park boundaries delineated in the 2003 provincial plan (finalized in 2005), the Rimba Raya area verification aligns with these borders. However, no additional protected areas or indigenous territories were created within the project zone.

Orbify’s Evaluation

Orbify’s platform reveals that the Rimba Raya project does not overlap with legally protected areas or indigenous territories. The map confirms that project activities are conducted outside of any recognized indigenous lands or protected zones, ensuring compliance with legal boundaries and minimizing land-use conflicts.

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