Eco-Camp on the Kampar Peninsula, in Riau Sumatra

The GreenAsia Group and Mantra, as subcontractor, are pleased to announce the completion of APRIL’s Riau Ecosystem Restoration (RER) Eco-Camp on the Kampar Peninsula, in Riau Sumatra.
In March 2016, after a meeting in Bali with Brad Sanders, the Deputy Head of Conservation, the Gardners, founders of The GreenAsia Group, flew to RER’s premises in Riau from Singapore for a 2-day site scoping visit to understand the location of the site, along with accessibility.
The goal was for TGAG to look at creating a project for the APRIL Eco-Research Camp to be a resilient and ecologically integrated development while reflecting the values of creating a sense of belonging, developing a sustainable community, providing a lasting legacy for all.
The ‘Proposal for the use of an Integrative Design Process’ presented by The GreenAsia Group, at the beginning of May 2016 offered to APRIL a detailed Scope of Work for a Combined Scoping and Conceptual Design Charette, a Detailed Design Charrette, and the Post Construction Charrette-Performance Monitoring to develop facilities that would optimize the company’s environmental and social performance and minimize environmental impacts. International best practices and whole systems thinking were to optimise key design decisions.
A Scoping and Conceptual Design ‘brainstorming’ workshop was held in Jakarta in August 2016, to present to the Board alongside two other companies vying for the project. This meeting was attended by Anderson Tanoto and members of APRIL’s team. The Priority at this meeting was to identify and define key requirements for what became the APRIL Eco-Research Camp, identify key targets and outcomes for the development, identify performance measurement criteria and establish the use of renewable energy. Bradley Gardner presented the concept for an Eco-Camp, and after being awarded the contract, The GreenAsia Group assembled its team to deliver the project. TGAG’s team led by Bradley Gardner and Jasper T Gardner, Project Manager worked with their associates, Mantra, a local Indonesian company focusing on sustainability based in Bali, and Amenity, based in Australia commenced work on the Master Plan, architectural and landscaping, sustainable energy, water and waste solutions, along with Huston Eubank, TGAG’s Associate in Canada.
The first conceptual Master Plan was presented in February 2017 and finalized in November. Conceptual architectural plans were presented in January 2018. The first phase of the architectural component consisted of a number of facilities to cater for the needs of 48 staff, who would live onsite, and 14 visiting guests and researchers. The facilities allow staff and guests to feel “close to nature”.
During this project, TGAG and Mantra visited the site, finalised reports that have enabled the new camp to be built using sustainable materials, to operate as an off-grid energy-efficient camp, utilizing an appropriate photovoltaic/battery/diesel generator hybrid system for energy storage and back-up energy generation.
Mantra also delivered the designs for the potable and non-potable water supply, onsite waste water management, and the management of resources to include recycling, organics composting and minimizing the waste stream.
On 23rd November 2020, the APRIL 2030 Virtual Launch Event outlined APRIL’s vision to deliver a positive impact on climate, nature and people and five new initiatives including the successful opening of the Eco-Research Camp to serve as a tropical peatland science hub (https://www.aprildialog.com/en/2020/12/03/new-initiatives-and-partnerships-to-propel-the-delivery-of-april2030/).