Framework and methodology development
Starling Resources leverages the latest research on best-practices, adopting methods from resource management, institutional development and business literature to inform assessment, design, and implementation of natural resource programs and institutions. In addition, in more than a decade of experience Starling Resources has developed a number of unique and comprehensive frameworks and instruments for strategic planning, analysis, and project development and implementation. These include frameworks for cross-sectoral assessments and engagement, institutional assessment and development, and financial analysis and planning among others. We work to socialize such frameworks and instruments with relevant stakeholders through workshops, mentoring, and training courses, facilitating institutionalization and enabling sustainable long-term impacts.
Selected Projects
Katingan Peatland Restoration and Conservation Project
Project summary
The Katingan Peatland Restoration and Conservation Project (Katingan Project) is a REDD+ project on a 150,000 ha peat swamp forest in the districts of Kotawaringin Timur and Katingan in Central Kalimantan in Indonesia. PT. Rimba Makmur Utama (PT. RMU) is the project developer and holds a 60-year-long ecosystem restoration concession (ERC). By avoiding planned deforestation in the project area, the Katingan Project aims to yield carbon credits in the voluntary, and eventually in the compliance market. Revenues from the sale of carbon credits will support community development activities on the ground.
The Katingan Project has four primary components: Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV), ecosystem restoration, biodiversity protection, and community development. By collaborating with various stakeholders including local communities, local and national governments, universities, NGOs, and researchers, this project seeks to ensure carbon, community and biodiversity benefits, while also confirming the credibility and accountability of MRV methodologies that can be adopted under jurisdictional and international REDD+ mechanisms.
Our services
Starting in 2006, Starling Resources engaged with PT. RMU and its partners to lead REDD+ feasibility studies, ERC policy analyses, stakeholder analyses, MRV methodology development, database development, and project financial analyses. We also served as a main author of the Project Description Document (PDD) that was successfully verified by the VCS+CCB standards in 2016.
Project term
2006 - 2016
Clients and Partners
Rimba Makmur Utama(Client)
Yayasan Puter Indonesia (Partner)
Wetlands International (Partner)
Permian Global (Partner)
The Development of Sustainable Agroforestry and Land Use Model
Project summary
In Central Kalimantan Province, agriculture shapes much of the local economy. Slash-and-burn farming and conversion for agricultural lands is a significant driver of deforestation and peatland forest fires in the area. While population and economic pressures on forest resources are arguably increasing and aggravating the rate of deforestation, local livelihoods still need to be sustained. In order to balance social, economic and ecological objectives, this project aimed to develop a sustainable agroforestry and land use model through reduced impact farming, better crop selection and intensification, forest and land fire prevention and control, and improved land use practices. Recognizing the need to build the capacity of local farmers, the project developed practical guidebooks, training modules and standard operating procedures, and provided knowledge and on-the-ground training to promote improved and sustainable agroforestry and land use practices.
Our services
Through collaboration with peat scientists and community organizers, Starling Resources worked with agroforestry groups at the study site and introduced approaches and practical methods to improve soil management on agroforestry lands and a technique with the combined application of bio charcoal (biochar) and organic compost. In addition, Starling Resources developed a systematic approach to fire prevention and control for farmer groups and local fire brigades. We facilitated an on-site training led by expert soil scientists, peat experts, and community organizers, and developed practical guidebooks, training modules and standard operating procedures to disseminate to local farmer groups and fire brigades.
Project term
2012 – 2015
Clients and Partners
Marubeni Corporation (Client)
Rimba Makmur Utama (Partner)
Yayasan Puter Indonesia (Partner)
Hokkaido University (Partner)
University of Palangka Raya (Partner)
Research and Development Center for Forest Conservation and Rehabilitation (Partner)
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (Partner)
Peatland Mapping and Sustainable Peatland Management Methodology Development
Project summary
The project commissioned by the Indonesian Climate Change Center assessed existing peatland maps for pilot sites (Pelalawan and Katingan Districts) and targeted the development of new accurate peatland maps based on robust scientific methodologies and peatland definitions. Referencing the newly developed peatland maps, the project provided recommendations for sustainable peatland management by considering key climate and land use factors. These factors included potential impacts of climate change, socio-economic contexts, time-series land use and land cover change (LULCC) analysis, and GHG emissions estimation from water table fluctuations and LULCC. This project was carried out with the following four objectives:
- Assess peatland mapping methodologies;
- Develop new accurate peatland maps for the study sites;
- Recommend a sustainable peatland management model by considering the balance between GHG emission reductions and socio-economic needs; and
- Build collaborative partnerships with national and international universities, NGOs, and communities to exchange knowledge and facilitate capacity building.
Our services
Starling Resources served as Project Manager for this assignment, and successfully engaged a network of partnerships at international, national and local levels, enhancing the level of collaboration with and among partner institutions. Working with experts from partner universities, Starling Resources team led field surveys for both peat sampling and social baseline surveys in order to develop empirical understanding of peatland distribution, local land use practices, livelihood patterns and potential climate change impacts on the socio-economy across the study sites.
Project term
2013
Clients and Partners
US Forest Service (Client)
Indonesia Climate Change Center (Partner)
Starling Resources designed and led a REDD+ cost analysis in order to better understand the hurdles facing REDD+ development and inform discussion of REDD+ benefit sharing. The project aimed to provide accurate and inclusive implementation costs data for REDD+ projects in three countries and provide a framework to analyze REDD+ project implementation costs across project types and geographies.
Our servicesStarling Resources has assisted CIFOR in selecting the project sites and in developing the criteria for selections. Our expertise and experience have enabled us to conduct comprehensive data collection in Indonesia while also directly supporting data collection in Tanzania and Brazil through the provision of data collection methodologies, training modules, cost modeling, analytical frameworks and supervision.
Based on our previous experience and knowledge on REDD+, a standardized common analytical framework, methodology and approach to REDD+ project cost modeling were developed in collaboration with CIFOR to be used to accurately capture REDD+ project implementation costs, including in kind and transaction costs across diverse sample of projects in CIFOR’s six priority countries. The analytical framework is further designed to allow costs from different sites to be aggregated, compared and analyzed. Lastly, the Starling Resources team is also co-authoring a CIFOR publication on framework and methodology for quantifying costs of REDD+ projects, as well as an assessment of REDD+ project implementation costs and ramifications for project investment and benefit sharing schemes.
Project term2012 – 2014
Clients and Partners- Cifor
Project reports