The Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces (HHRT), covering 16,603 hectares in Southern Yunnan, was inscribed in the World Heritage List in 2013 under criteria (iii) and (v). The cultivation of traditional rice has deeply moulded the landscape and shaped the farming culture of Hani people which have sustained these terraces for centuries. However, deep social changes make the sustainability of the terraces uncertain. Ecological challenges combined with loss of traditional knowledge menace the conservation of this spectacular landscape. In order to address these challenges, before the inscription of the site, Honghe prefecture developed a strategy which focuses on the recovery of the traditional water management system based on the water-wood concept and the restoration of traditional leadership. Through participatory research and a multi-level partnership, this initiative has ensured water supply to villages and sustain terraces while recovering ancient cultural practices.

Water is an essential requirement for human survival and economic development, but is an increasingly limiting factor in areas undergoing climate change and increased urbanisation. Many of the available freshwater resources supplying the world’s cities are undergoing degradation due to poor management and the introduction of pollution from direct and indirect (diffuse) sources. A large proportion of water pollution originates from non-point sources, from both urban and agricultural areas, which makes tackling the cause of the problem a challenge. A complementary solution to traditional water treatment methods is the use of vegetation in slowing the flowrate and removing contaminants from freshwaters. The Earthwatch Institute launched an investigation in the Valle de Bravo watershed in Mexico to research the efficacy of vegetation strips as buffers to water pollution in the region.  

Earthwatch India addressed knowledge gaps in the management of urban lakes, wetlands and green spaces by researching how these ecosystems can increase the resilience of urban areas to impacts from climate change and urbanisation, whilst delivering benefits to people and wildlife.

In Bengaluru, Earthwatch is working with the Indian Institute of Science to study the impacts of land-use change and influence of human settlements on green buffer areas surrounding and protecting key urban lakes. Results are being used to create a framework for assessments of these lakes and their roles in driving blue-green infrastructure development.

“The environmental quality of an urban lake has an immediate bearing on the quality of the fringe habitations, specifically in terms of air and water quality. By addressing issues that concern urban blue and green spaces we can mitigate air and water quality issues, enable temperature and flooding control and provide a buffer for habitats.” – Prof. Sudhakar M. Rao, Indian Institute of Science

Biomatrix specialises in water restoration. Our Floating Ecosystems are engineered to improve water quality within rivers, lakes, ponds and canals as they increase aquatic life, leading to a balanced and revitalised waterscape.

Floating Ecosystems inject life into an area, as the islands provide an opportunity for nature and wildlife to take hold. Islands break up open water surfaces and provide shade under water. Plant roots provide habitat for Microbes to break down pollution and nutrients, and are a shelter and feeding ground for small fish. Mechanical aeration can further improve water quality. Birds can find an undisturbed nesting and resting space in areas where there is often little safety.

The Biomatrix floating ecosystem structure is designed to make wetland creation and water restoration possible, even in locations with waves, changing water levels, hard edges and fast currents. The structural floating technology allows thriving wetland communities to be created in challenging and dynamic waterbodies.

CurieuzeNeuzen is a Flemish wordplay that is difficult to translate but refers to someone who is curious to learn. It is the largest ever citizen science project to monitor air quality throughout the Flanders region of Belgium. Over 53,000 candidates registered, from which 20,000 citizens, but also organisations, schools and companies were selected to participate. They each received a user-friendly toolkit that enabled them to measure their street’s NO2 concentration which is primarily released from the burning of fossil fuels. Participants attached a V-shaped billboard onto their first-floor window on the street side. Two passive NO2 samplers attached within collected data from April 28 until May 26 in 2018. Participants were eager to know their results as more than 99% returned their tubes for processing. Internationally, this was the first time that citizens were actively involved on such a large scale in a scientific project on air quality which yielded incredibly detailed results.

In South Africa almost 90% of South Africa’s marine plastic pollution originates from its own river systems.​The Litterboom Project (TLP) uses a large pipe that is anchored across the river, which acts as a catchment for all surface-level plastics- which are predominantly HDPE and PET. This preventative measure is set up strategically where it can collect the most rubbish and where the team collects, sorts, and sends the plastic off for recycling.

The Centre for Environmental Justice and Development (CEJAD)aims to combat plastic and waste pollution by promoting sustainable solid management through public education on impacts of plastics to the environment and demonstration of BATs/BEPs such as source separation of waste, reuse, recycling and recovery as well value chain efficiency.

The project seeks to conduct the following activities:

• Equipping the women artisans with machinery, tools, and equipment for making sculptures and items out of plastic waste.
• Training women artisans on product development and packaging.
• Establishing a pilot waste segregation at source and management system for recovery, reuse, and recycle of plastic and other waste.
• Training women artisans on marketing and how to maintain market linkages.
• Undertaking a market research for their products.