Fiantis, Dian

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PenulisSupiandi SabihamProfessor of Land Resource Management,Institut Pertanian BogorBudi Indra SetiawanProfessor of Agricultural Technology,Institut Pertanian BogorBudiman MinasnyProfessor in Soil-Landscape Modelling,University of SydneyDisiplin ilmiah, gaya jurnalistikMore research needed for responsible peatland managementin IndonesiaJanuari 15, 2018 1.27pm WIBIndonesian peatland researchers recently gathered in Bogor, Indonesia, to examine theeffectiveness of the latest government regulation on peatlands. We found someshortcomings, one being that the regulation isn’t well supported by scientific evidence.The Indonesian government declared that the area of peatlands burnt in 2017 declined significantly compared to previous years. After a disastrous fire two years ago, theMinistry of Environment and Forestry urged plantations to block canals and to buildwater retention basins and wells in peatlands.Additionally, the government attempted to restore degraded peatlands by issuingGovernment Regulation (PP) No. 57/2016, which amended a 2014 regulation on theconservation and management of peat ecosystems.One of the articles in the 2016 regulation states that a managed peat ecosystem isconsidered to be degraded if its water table is deeper than 40 centimetres from thesurface of the peatland at a managed location. This regulation was meant to keep thepeat moist to protect it from fire during the dry season. This also means that the watertable in managed peatlands should be maintained at 40cm all year round.This 40cm criterion was arbitrarily chosen. The regulation was set without involving orconsulting academics and is not supported by adequate research and strong scientificThese peatlands burned in Kampar, Riau, Indonesia, on July 24, 2017. Rony Muharrman/Antara Foto via ReutersJanuari 15, 2018 1.27pm WIBMore research needed for responsible peatland managementin IndonesiaMore research needed for responsible peatland management in Indonesia https://theconversation.com/more-research-needed-for-responsible-peatl...1 of 5 5/8/2018, 5:34 AMDian FiantisProfessor of Soil Science, UniversitasAndalasAlih bahasaEnglishBahasa Indonesiaevidence.The implementation of this regulation should also consider the socio-economic balancebetween the communities and the environment surrounding peatlands.Responding to this new regulation, academics and peatland practitioners organised afocus group discussion in Bogor on December 14, 2017, to discuss the best way tomanage peat responsibly.Peatlands are one of the largest carbon sinks in the Earth’s land ecosystem. AndIndonesia has one of the largest peatlands in the tropics, with a recent estimate of 13.2million hectares. Before the 1990s, peatlands were considered marginal lands and exploited withoutenvironmental concerns.In 1995, the late President Soeharto directed the Mega Rice Project, which developed 1 millionhectares of peatlands in Central Kalimantan for rice cultivation. The project failed. Rice did not growand the heavily drained peats were degraded, fuelling fires during extended dry seasons.Scientific gapWith increasing awareness of climate change issues – especially greenhouse gas emissions fromagricultural sectors and land and forest fires – peat management has become a controversial issue inIndonesia.Peat has two main functions: environmental services (water storage, carbon storage and biodiversitypreservation) and agricultural production that supports the livelihood of farmers.Science and research may be able to drive responsible management of our peatlands.While there has been much research on peatlands in Indonesia, most international research focusedheavily on deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions and peat fires. We need research on effectivepeatland management that addresses the environmental issues and regulations.Balanced research should also focus on good peat management practices that minimise itsenvironmental impacts, and on effective water management that reduces the risk of fire.From the discussion in Bogor, we identified scientific gaps in peat management:1. Peatland mappingPeatlands in Indonesia have been mapped at a rough scale of 1:250,000, indicating an area of about13.2 million hectares. This map cannot be used for management and the implementation of PP 57.More research needed for responsible peatland management in Indonesia https://theconversation.com/more-research-needed-for-responsible-peatl...2 of 5 5/8/2018, 5:34 AMFor operational purposes, a scale of 1:50,000 or finer is needed. This fine-scale map needs to begenerated using an accurate, cost-effective and rapid method.In Indonesia, many were convinced that Lidar, aerial laser surveying that is used commercially, wasthe best method for mapping the extent and thickness of peat.However, lidar operation throughout the country is costly. Furthermore, Lidar only measures thesurface elevation of the ground and cannot detect directly the extent and thickness of peats.Research from the University of Sydney and IPB has developed an Open Digital Mappingmethodology, which combines field measurements and freely available satellite images. Peat extentand thickness can be mapped using machine-learning algorithms. This methodology, recentlypublished in an international journal, is cost-effective as it uses open data in an open-sourcecomputing environment.This method has been successfully evaluated and potentially can be up-scaled to map peatlands forthe whole of Indonesia.2. Leading commodities and land degradationThere have been many studies on strategic commodities in peatlands, especially food and cash crops,specifically oil palm. With the new regulation restricting oil palm plantation development, integratedcross-disciplinary studies need to be developed to seek new commodities that can support small-scalefarmers. For example, paludiculture (farming in swamps) with market access needs to be developed.The environmental impacts of land use change have to be assessed holistically. Agricultural land usein peatlands is often thought to be linked with the draining of peats, which led to peat degradationand vulnerability to fire. As a result, the use of peatlands is associated with increasing carbonemissions into the atmosphere.Peatland degradation is a long process and is not entirely caused by the current land use. Landdegradation has happened at least since the transmigration program during the Dutch colonial periodand continued since the 1970s with the expansion of forest concession areas.3. Greenhouse gas emissions and groundwater levelLand use on peatlands is often blamed for increased greenhouse gas emissions in the agriculturalsectors. No doubt agricultural activities contribute to oxidation of organic matter. But the CO2emission rates need to be fully examined, especially as a result of:Peat subsidence, which is often interpreted as peat loss contributing to CO2 emissions. Thesubsidence process depends on the peat compaction and water level. Subsidence is not linearMore research needed for responsible peatland management in Indonesia https://theconversation.com/more-research-needed-for-responsible-peatl...3 of 5 5/8/2018, 5:34 AMwith time. In other words, subsidence occurred rapidly at the beginning of land conversion andits rate will decrease with time. A study in Central Kalimantan demonstrated that compaction isthe main cause of the peat dome collapse.The net greenhouse gas emission is a balance between sequestration (storage) and decomposition(breakdown) of organic matter. Emission rates fluctuate from morning to day and night, andfrom day to day. Most studies only measure the emission rates at a given time once a month. Toaccount for all these variations, we need a fully integrated system that can monitor these fluxesover a long time.The groundwater level set by Regulation No. 57/2016 is thought to lack a strong scientific evidencebase. Groundwater level fluctuates seasonally with rainfall and drainage. It doesn’t necessarily reflectthe peat’s moisture condition. In addition, the impact of a relatively high water table on plant growthneeds to be further established.The water content of the surface peat may be more indicative of the moisture status of peat. There is acritical water content at which peat becomes hydrophobic (difficult to rewet), and this point needs tobe well researched and established.Most studies only consider climate-driven prolonged drought as the driver for wildfires in the humidtropics. Our study shows that a simple Drought Index – which can be calculated from rainfall data,groundwater height level and groundwater condition – can serve as a better indicator of forest firerisk. Another study shows the importance of hydrology in predicting wildfires in Kalimantan, whichcan be used as a tool to improve planning and strategies to adapt to climate change.The bottom-up approachThe current peat restoration process is a top-down approach by issuing new regulations. PP 57 isdifficult to implement and has had negative reactions from the agriculture community. For a processto be fully adopted and well received by landholders and academics, it needs to be bottom-up andsupported by well-grounded research.The ideal approach includes:Water management that optimises the water supply to maintain peat’s moisture condition andsupport plant growth, particularly in the dry season.Maintaining groundwater levels not deeper than 80cm, measured from the peat surface. Peatshould be always maintained in a moist condition so it wets up easily. Hydrology models tomonitor drought and susceptibility can help predict the risk of fire.More research needed for responsible peatland management in Indonesia https://theconversation.com/more-research-needed-for-responsible-peatl...4 of 5 5/8/2018, 5:34 AMAgriculture Indonesia Crops Peatlands Sumatra forest firesManaging peatland responsibly with best management practices that support plant growth andlivelihoods without causing land degradation and fires. These practices involve good watermanagement, monitoring and maintaining moist peat condition, proper fertilisation, establishingcover crops, using adapted plant varieties, etc.From all that, we need a more comprehensive research program that includes technology adaptation,community development and co-operation between communities, farmers, business owners and thegovernment. The outcomes can then be used to formulate a responsible peatland developmentprogram in Indonesia.This article was originally published in IndonesianMore research needed for responsible peatland management in Indonesia https://theconversation.com/more-research-needed-for-responsible-peatl...5 of 5 5/8/2018, 5:34 AM

More research needed for responsible peatland management in Indonesia

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More research needed for responsible peatland management in Indonesia

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