NBI Deep Dive: Valuing Forest Restoration in Indonesia, a Case Study of the Brantas River

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In this final session on water in our NBI Deep Dive series, we demonstrate the benefits of forest restoration through a case study on the Brantas River basin in Indonesia. Here, deforestation for agriculture has led to increased soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and decreased water retention. These impacts have made floods more severe, reduced groundwater recharge, and exacerbated water scarcity in the dry season. The project aims to restore the degraded land and improve water management in the Brantas River catchment—for example, by establishing upstream agroforestry systems and constructing wells and biopori holes to increase water absorption.

In this webinar, we take you step-by-step through the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) of forest restoration in the Brantas River basin. The assessment quantified the ecosystem services and economic impacts of the planned reforestation and water retention wells. We explain how we developed a causal loop diagram and spreadsheet-based model, how we integrated climate data and results from spatial modelling, and how we calculated financial indicators for the project. Taking all these elements into account, we conclude with an integrated cost-benefit analysis of the interventions and explain how stakeholders can use the results.

SPEAKER

• Emma Cutler
  System Dynamics Analyst for Economic Law and Policy, IISD

MODERATOR

• Ronja Bechauf
  Policy Analyst for Economic Law and Policy, IISD

About the NBI Deep Dive Series

This series will focus on the technical aspects of our Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology, providing in-depth explanations of our process as well as applied examples in the form of case studies. The first three sessions will feature Nature-based Infrastructure (NBI) projects that address water-related challenges, alongside the UN 2023 Water Conference.

We will look at systems modelling, spatial modelling, and financial modelling of various case studies to give the method context and explain its practical application.

These sessions are intended as a further building block from our training sessions, providing technical depth on the methods of assessing the value of specific NBI projects. We also hope to raise awareness on the importance of integrated assessments and scenario analysis, valuing all social, economic and environmental risks and opportunities for NBI projects.