Data for Sustainability (D4S) – Wetland Research Consultancy

Wetlands are degraded globally by human activities. Tropical peatlands and mangroves, especially, are hotspots of rapid decline due to logging and drainage, while also suffering from sea-level rise and land surface subsidence. Amongst the consequence are the highest land-use based carbon emissions globally. Improved understanding of these vulnerable systems is required to define management requirements to deal with future threats, but is often limited by data availability for practitioners.

        Data for Sustainability (D4S), as an independent consultancy, aims to maximize benefits from sustainable wetland management and conservation for biodiversity and carbon emission reduction by providing innovative data and science-based analyses. We offer customized, cost-effective and data-driven solutions based on 20+ years of experience developing and leading wetland studies and management projects, applying published in-house LiDAR technology amongst others. Our focus area is SE Asia, which has the most extensive and degraded coastal lowlands, but we can apply our methods anywhere.
      

10+ projects

restoration projects supported – peat mapping, hydrology, restoration planning – 5 funded under VCS/Verra

5+ million ha

of peatland mapped: peat thickness, carbon stock, and creditable carbon volume above the drainage base

6,000+ canal blocks

designed and supervised for peatland rewetting, with measurable restoration benefits

2,000+ locations

field monitoring sites for peat water table depth and subsidence, designed and supervised

DeltaDTM

our LiDAR elevation work contributed to the most accurate global lowland DTM, widely used in restoration

We bridge science and application, creating new methods and datasets based on deep research, but always with a focus on practical application and on de-risking restoration projects by robust validation. We have developed unique approaches to determine land and water levels from satellite LiDAR data, greatly reducing the cost and time required by eliminating the need for airborne LiDAR and limiting field survey requirements. Learn more about our Products →

We were involved, often in lead roles, in over 30 research and restoration projects focusing on wetlands in SE Asia alone. Learn more about our Projects →

To help create the scientific basis for effective wetland management, we have published, often as lead authors, over 40 peer-reviewed Research papers and book chapters, and a larger number of Technical and Policy reports, which were jointly cited over 10,000 times. Learn more about our Publication record →

In our research, we are informed by the knowledge gaps that we meet in our consultancy activities. Our papers aim to help fill such gaps and improve the science base for peatland restoration and peat carbon management. Learn more NEWS about our latest science work →

For peatland restoration and carbon project developers specifically, we provide the science-backed data that secures investment, passes validation, and maximises carbon credit yield. Learn why D4S →

Based on our experience over the years, we have learnt to formulate issues and possible solutions in clear terms, yielding sometimes unconventional insights that we think may help overcome obstacles to improved tropical wetland management. Learn more about our Insights →

Some of our projects and publications have received wide media coverage. Find some Media Items →

We embrace AI in some areas but are aware of the risks as well. Read a statement here on how we navigate these risks.