US technology company HP has teamed up with a Switzerland-based nature tech startup on an initiative aimed at advancing coastal ecosystem restoration efforts in Indonesia.
HP committed to restoring 18,000 square metres of mangrove forest near Pekalongan, Central Java province, over the next five years as part of the Mojo village project established by Inverto Earth in collaboration with Indonesian research institute Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM).
Founded in 2022, Inverto Earth uses drones, camera traps, bioacoustic monitors, and environmental DNA (eDNA) to support restoration activities across coastal ecosystems.
The Mojo Village project intends to protect over 20 plant species, including corky stilt and white-flowered apple mangroves, and 56 animal species, such as the Asian common toad, the olive-backed sunbird, and the mangrove snake.
The project could also generate biodiversity credits in the near future, the co-founder and CTO of Inverto Earth, Cameron Dowd, told Carbon Pulse.
“At this current site, we don’t have the rights or permissions,” he said.
“However, we are in discussions for the next phase where we could have such rights. The biggest challenge is still the buyers.”
Last month, speaking to Carbon Pulse on the sidelines of the HackSummit held in Lausanne, Switzerland, Dowd said the startup plans to venture into the biodiversity market, though clients operating in the carbon space currently represent the bulk of its portfolio.
ENHANCING REMOTE PLANTING AND MONITORING
Under the newly established partnership, HP will also provide 3D-printed parts for drone payloads to enable remote monitoring, as well as support research led by UGM on innovative mangrove planting techniques.
The company said it would track the project’s progress based on a number of metrics, including restored area, tree count, number of species detected, and coastal protection value.
Mangroves are proven to absorb large amounts of CO2 in their wood and sediment, with planted and restored ones quite close in terms of their ability to store carbon.
According to a recent study, planted mangrove forests can capture up to three-quarters of the carbon found in natural ones. Globally, over 6,600 square kilometres of mangrove habitat are available for restoration.
In May, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released its first-ever assessment of the world’s mangrove ecosystems, showing that more than half are at risk of collapse by 2050.
Mangroves are often destroyed for conversion to pastures, shrimp ponds, or aquaculture, permanently eliminating large carbon stocks.
Indonesia alone loses 52,000 hectares of mangroves every year, the Center for International Forestry Research has estimated.
By Sergio Colombo – sergio@carbon-pulse.com
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