Assessing factors to influence the willingness of smallholders to participate in a replanting zonation scheme in Pelalawan District, Riau Province, Indonesia

Abstract

Forest cover is one of the most important indicators to sustainable development. Illegal logging arises because of the rising demand for wood products due to increasing population and economic growth, while the total supply of log from forests remains stable or even decreases. To overcome the supply gap for wood, the utilization of wood sources beyond natural forest areas is necessary. One proposed policy option to increase utilization of wood from non-forest areas is to implement replanting zonation scheme for oil palm plantation. This policy option is implemented through three main activities. First, mapping the age divergences of the oil palms; second, making replanting zonation map; and third, integrating the utilization of oil palm trunks in the forest industry’s raw material fulfillment plan (RPBI Kehutanan). Through these policies, the waste of palm trunks can be used as raw materials in wood industries. Without a replanting zonation scheme, oil palm trunks are not a feasible replacement for forest timber because of their scattered location, limited volume, and size.