Endless vistas of charred land. Haze so thick that is shuts down schools and brings airports to a standstill. And vast amounts of climate change - inducing greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. This is what happens when peatlands are burned for oil palm and pulp plantations.

When the World Resources Institute (WRI) approached us about an initiative to publically track public commitments to restore peatlands in Indonesia, we saw a perfect opportunity to bring together our branding, web development and design skills for an urgent issue.


Sometimes swampy and always waterlogged, peatlands don’t exactly evoke the majestic grandeur of rainforests. But they are one of nature's most effective ways of taking carbon out of the atmosphere and storing it underground. When peat is drained and burned, some 10 times more carbon is released than forest fires – a sadly familiar reality in the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo).

The core element of Pantau Gambut is a web platform where commitments to peat restoration are tracked in detail, drawing information from a network of Indonesian organizations.

Working with partner agency SixtyTwo, we built a site that primarily serves the needs of environment-savvy users, while also building the case for protecting peat as a fundamental part of reducing Indonesia's substantial greenhouse gas emissions.

Pantau Gambut was never going to fire up the public or the media without a strong visual identity. We researched several brand directions centred around the themes of fire, trees and Indonesia's national colors, resulting in a powerful symbol that is simple, recognizable, and suited for a wide range of applications.

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