Peatland Emissions Dangerous: Pekanbaru, Sumatra

By Barrie | September 12th, 2007 | No Comments

Degradation of peatland is more dangerous to the environment and will cause more climate change than deforestation as it releases more carbon into the atmosphere, says a researcher.

Marcel Silvius, a researcher at Holland’s Wetlands International, said it was the conclusion of studies by scientists grouped in the United Climate Change Conference.

“The opening up of peatland without a proper water management system will cause degradation and eventually lead to the emission of carbon,” Silvius said at an international symposium on peatland held at Unigraha Kerinci Hotel on Aug. 31.

According to Silvius, without peatland emissions, Indonesia only ranks 21st in terms of its contribution to the world’s carbon emissions. Carbon emissions in peatland is attributable to two things, namely burning and drainage.

“Dry peat will release carbon. In the long run, burning and drainage in peatland will have the same effect on climate changes,” he noted.

Silvius criticized the building of drainage channels in peatland by many companies in Riau, saying it caused damage to the peatland’s ecosystem and resulted in the release of a large amount of carbon into the air.

Riau is home to many plantation and logging companies. Many of them have built drainage channels on peatland in the province to transport their products and to hold water that they may need to extinguish a fire.

Silvius said building a one-meter-deep trench in tropical peatland result in the emission of 90 tons of CO2 per hectare per year.

Since 2000, he went on, the contribution of CO2 emissions resulting from building drainage channels on peatland has reached 1.5 percent annually, or twice as much as average emissions on non-peatland.

Silvius also criticized plans to convert peatland into coconut tree estates following the increasing popularity of biofuel production. The use of biofuel, he said, will only reduce emission by nine to 18 tons.

“The contribution of CO2 emission on peatland turned into coconut estates will be bigger than the reduction from the use of biofuel. This is something new to learn when most peatland is converted into coconut estates,” he said.

To ensure the sustainability of the peatland ecosystem, Silvius suggested immediate termination of building drainage channels and replacing them with bodies of water where fish can breed.

Damaged peatland may be rehabilitated by planting the area with various types of useful and fire-resistant vegetation.

“Peat conservation means conserving biological diversity,” he noted.

Unfortunately, according to the executive director of Walhi in Riau, Johny Setiawan Mundung, efforts by companies to rehabilitate peatland in their concession areas have yet to be seen.

“They have built trenches for various reasons, such as stopping looting and preventing elephant attacks. Trench building must be stopped. Research shows that dry peatland is toxic and can destroy plants.

“It is just a matter of time as the toxins are undergoing a process that will show a destructive power,” he said.

According to Mundung, only 1.2 million hectares out of 8.9 million hectares of forest areas are left in Riau, which are mostly located on peatland. A total of three million hectares of forest areas have been planted with acacia while 3.2 million hectares have been converted into coconut estates.

“Every day, 7.2 hectares is deforested. As for protected forests, there are only 780 hectares left out of a total of three million hectares originally set as the target,” he said.

Mundung also urged immediate termination of the conversion of natural forests into monoculture forest areas.

“Restore the function of forests by planting various vegetation,” he said.

The growing monoculture plants, such as palm and acacia, will accelerate the rate of desertification in Riau, which is recorded at 2 percent annually. “Palms and acacia consume of lot of water and nutrients. Desertification will take place some time in 2020,” he said.

Mundung also deplored the burning of forests by companies in the province. According to him, in 2006, 63 firms burned close to two million hectares of forests.

Sponge-like in nature, one hectare of peatland can absorb and release thousands of liters of water. “When burned, peat shrinks and hardens, therefore losing its natural character,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mangandar, a staffer at the Riau Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedalda), criticized the province’s oil palm plantation owners for failing to protect the environment in their operations.

“It is difficult to find conservation in their areas. Owing to the high economic value of oil palms, the principles of conservation have been ignored,” he noted.

He said his office had continued to provide counseling and guidance related to a water management system to ensure the sustainability of peatland. Every year the office makes an evaluation regarding the preparedness of companies in preventing and controlling forest and land fires.

So far, he said, Bapedalda had yet to punish any company engaged in forest and land fires. “Sanctions will be passed only when environmental capacity has been damaged,” he said.

According to Mangandar, his office is currently tightening the procedure for the issuance of new or renewed Environmental Impact Analysis (Amdal) given the fact that only a small number of companies operating in the province have reported the real condition of their concession areas.

Meanwhile, police in Riau have become firmer in their efforts to protect forests from further damage.

Since early this year, police have closed off thousands of hectares of areas managed by 22 companies. According to Brig. Gen. Sutjiptadi of the Riau Police, 57 of the 132 cases of illegal logging allegedly involved company leaders and government officials.

PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (Riaupulp) President Director Rudi Fajar acknowledged that forest fires had an adverse impact on the environment.

“It is impossible to avoid this adverse impact 100 percent. Riaupulp is engaged in the mosaic plantation system to minimize this risk. While still managing timber estates, areas belonging to conservation zones such as primary forest areas, river areas and buffer zones will continue to be protected to offer balance,” he noted.

Riaupulp, Rudi said, has a policy whereby an area is immediately replanted following harvesting to ensure that the land does not become neglected. The areas planted measure a total of 60,000 hectares per year and will be harvested only six years later.

“It is within this period of time that we contribute to efforts to reduce global warming,” he said.

In carrying out mosaic planting, he went on, Riaupulp teams up with many experts of various disciplines.

“Our forest conversion is not intended to remove the forest and replant it with acacia. We use proper management and high technology to carry out our operations while at the same time protecting biological diversity and environmental sustainability.”

To reduce emissions brought about by forest fires, Riaupulp has its own fire brigade, which has 60 trained people and is equipped with modern fire-fighting equipment. “This team is deployed to fight fires even if they break out outside the company’s concession areas,” Rudi said.

Rizal Harahap