SWAMP – Peatland Monitoring & Carbon Assessment

This assignment supported the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in strengthening national capacity for peatland mapping, carbon stock assessment, and long-term ecosystem monitoring. Responding to a formal request from the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD), the initiative aimed to develop a high-resolution peatland classification and carbon accounting framework aligned with national climate reporting needs.

The program combined advanced remote sensing analysis (L-band, C-band radar and optical imagery), field verification campaigns, and laboratory-based carbon analysis to produce a stratified peatland reference map. It also strengthened institutional capacity to integrate peatland monitoring into national forest monitoring systems and climate reporting frameworks.

Key Contributions & Impact

• Supported the development of a stratified peatland classification using multi-season radar and optical imagery
  • Coordinated two large-scale field verification campaigns across Kongo Central, Haut-Katanga, and Lualaba Provinces
  • Verified 257 classification points, confirming 101 peatland sites
  • Supervised collection of 639 peatland soil samples for carbon analysis