Peat swamp forest-firesimpacts on local livelihoods: a case study in Kapuas Kahayan Protected Forest Management Unit, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

Peat swamp forests have received great global attention in the last few decades because of their carbon stock, which is closely related to climate change and global warming. In addition to the global role of peat swamp forests in climate change and carbon storage, peat swamp forests also have some social and economic functions because of their great contribution to the livelihoods of local people. In Central Kalimantan, peat swamp forests have been experiencing a massive degradation mainly due to fires. This study aims to describe the utilization of peat swamp forests and the impacts of peat-swamp-forest fires on local people’s livelihoods in Central Kalimantan. The research was conducted by interviewing local communities around the area, then the data were analyzed qualitatively. The study result shows that there are 8 utilization activities related to livelihoods by local people on peat swamp forest i.e. logging; gathering rattan, orchid, medicinal plants, grasses and epiphytes, damar, gemor (tree bark); fishing and hunting; freshwater utilization, foods gathering, sacred spots for local belief, and traditional agriculture. Overall, forest fires have significantly negative impacts on local livelihoods as fires cause the loss of biodiversity and decrease the quality of ecosystem services. These losses lead to the disappearance of income and food sources for local people. However, there are also some small advantages or positive impacts of forest fires i.e higher production of fish after forest fires, and more jobs in forest rangers and land rehabilitation from both government and non-government organizations.