Riparian reserves play an important role in the provision of ecosystem services to maintain water quality, stabilize river banks and prevent floods, provide habitats for a range of aquatic and/or terrestrial animal and plant species, and sequester carbon dioxide. These in turn provide social benefits in the form of clean water and natural resources for plantation workers and local communities.
The conservation of riparian reserves is both a legal requirement and a requirement of the RSPO Principles and Criteria (P&C) (refer to RSPO P&C 2018, Principle 7, Indicator 7.8.2 – Water courses and wetlands are protected, including maintaining and restoring appropriate riparian and other buffer zones in line with ‘RSPO Manual on BMPs for the management and rehabilitation of riparian reserves (April 2017)’).
The manual on BMPs for the management and rehabilitation of riparian reserves was developed by RSPO to provide guidance on how to manage riparian reserves within oil palm plantations to comply with RSPO standards for sustainable palm oil production. Following this, RSPO published a Simplified Guide on the Management and Rehabilitation of Riparian Reserves (2018), which serves as a summary companion document to the full guidance.
In this webinar, we invite one of the authors of the full guidance, Dr. Holly Barclay, to provide an overview of the following:
- Key benefits of riparian reserves
- Identification, establishing and managing riparian reserves including implementing restoration efforts for degraded habitats,
- Managing threats and monitoring the efficacy of management of riparian reserves.
The minimum requirements for smallholders would also be presented.
Register now at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3238052250066226444
About the speaker:
Dr Holly Barclay, School of Science, Monash University Malaysia
I am a freshwater scientist currently based at Monash University in Peninsular Malaysia. My research focuses on the ecology and conservation of aquatic ecosystems, including rivers, lakes and wetlands. I have been conducting environmental research in East and South East Asia for over 10 years, working with NGOs, government and industry partners. I am particularly interested in exploring different management options which can help reconcile agricultural production with protection of aquatic habitats, including the establishment of riparian reserves.
