Rice Project Area Research Articles

Carbon emissions from oil palm development on deep peat soil in Central Kalimantan Indonesia

Abstract Of the 44 million hectares of peatland in the tropics, Indonesia has proportionately the largest area (45%) and carbon content (64%). These carbon-rich peat ecosystems play an important role in regional climate stabilization and biodiversity conservation. The Indonesian Government has enacted numerous regulatory measures since the 1990s aimed at boosting protection of the remaining intact peatland, with a threshold that peat deeper than 3 m must be conserved and cannot be cultivated. Despite these regulatory measures, extensive conversion of peatland to other land uses has occurred, especially large-scale palm oil plantation. This study shows that over 40% of palm oil plantations located in the former Ex-Mega Rice Project area (of some 1.04 million hectares) in Central Kalimantan in Indonesia are situated in deep peat areas. We estimate that continuing the present palm oil development practices on deep peat in the Ex-Mega Rice Project area will result in the release of between 93 and 217 megaton carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) over the next 25 years.

Measurement matters in managing landscape carbon

Carbon stocks and emissions are quantified using many different measures and metrics, and these differ in their surrogacy, measurement, and incentive value. To evaluate potential policy impacts of using different carbon measures, we modeled and mapped carbon in above-ground and below-ground stocks, as well as fluxes related to sequestration, oxidation and combustion in the Ex Mega Rice Project Area in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. We identify significant financial and carbon emission mitigation consequences of proxy choice in relation to the achievement of national emissions reduction targets. We find that measures of above-ground biomass carbon stock have both high measurement and incentive value, but low surrogacy for potential emissions or the potential for emissions reductions. The inclusion of below-ground carbon increased stocks and flows by an order of magnitude, highlighting the importance of protecting and managing soil carbon and peat. Carbon loss and potential emissions reduction is highest in the areas of deep peat, which supports the use of deep peat as a legislative metric. Divergence in patterns across sub-regions and through time further emphasizes the importance of proxy choice and highlights the need to carefully consider the objectives of the application to which the measure of carbon will be applied.

Peat-fire-related air pollution in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

The past decade marked record high air pollution episodes in Indonesia. In this study, we specifically focus on vegetation fires in Palangkaraya located near a Mega Rice Project area in Indonesia. We analyzed various gaseous air pollution data such as particulate matter (PM10), SO2, CO, O3, and NO2 study region. We also conducted elemental analysis at two different sites. Results from 2001 to 2010 suggested the longest hazardous air pollution episode during 2002 lasting about 80 days from mid-August to late-October. Maximum peak concentrations of PM10, SO2, CO, and O3 were also observed during 2002 and their values reached 1905, 85.8, 38.3, and 1003 × 10−6 gm−3 respectively. Elemental analysis showed significant increase in concentrations during 2011 and 2010. Satellite retrieved fires and weather data could explain most of the temporal variations. Our results highlight peat fires as a major contributor of photochemical smog and air pollution in the region.

The socio-ecological drivers of forest degradation in part of the tropical peatlands of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Connections between human activities (social systems) and nature (ecological systems) are key factors affecting forest-cover change in tropical peatland ecosystems. However, the complexity of these socio-ecological factors is often poorly understood. This study identifies the socio-ecological factors influencing land-cover change in the ex-Mega Rice Project area of Central Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. A systems thinking approach was used to construct two causal loop diagrams to assess the interrelationships between land-cover change, actors' choice and their motivation to convert land cover. The analysis reveals that current community livelihood activities to improve welfare and maintain food availability are the main endogenous drivers of land-and forest-cover change in the study area. Unintentional fire resulting from uncontrolled slash-and-burn practices by local communities is the main mechanism of forest-cover change. Land tenure uncertainty has also accelerated community land claiming using fire. Our analysis indicates that forest access, commodity prices and rainfall patterns are dominant exogenous drivers of land-cover change. Programmes that emphasize sustainable sources of food and income for local communities in conjunction with physical peatland restoration activities, such as drainage canal-blocking and reforestation, should be the key features of interventions aimed at preventing further peatland degradation.

Peat forest Rehabilitation in Central Kalimantan and REDD+: Conflicting Roles of Government Agencies

Peat forests are considered to be one of the largest reserves of terrestrial carbon in the world, and play an important role in storing atmospheric carbon. Indonesia is home to nearly half of the world’s tropical peatlands, and as the country with the world’s second-highest deforestation rate (after Brazil), these peatlands are being severely degraded. This paper uses the former Mega Rice Project area of Central Kalimantan to explore the role of government agencies in the development and implementation of Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) schemes in Indonesia. The Indonesian Government is committed to reducing emissions from deforestation, as well as rehabilitating degraded forest areas. As Indonesia’s legislative system is still maturing, policy and regulatory decisions are often made without thorough planning, and frequently conflict with one another. The research presented here identifies contradictory regulations and overlaps in the responsibilities of government agencies directly involved in elements of REDD+ policy, principally in regard to forest governance and land tenure in project areas.

The effect of the precipitation pattern of the dry season on peat fire occurrence in the Mega Rice Project area, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Indonesia has experienced severe tropical forest fires from a long time ago, mainly in El Niño years. However, previous studies showed that after 1997 forest and peat fires in Indonesia tend to occur every year in the dry season, even in non El Niño years. To clarify this recent pattern of incidence, we studied the fire situation in the Mega Rice Project (MRP) area, Central Kalimantan where large scale development of tropical swamp-forest has been carried out since 1996. To identify the causes of the recent severe peat fires, weather data for Palangkaraya from 1978 to 2007, hotspot data captured by the MODIS satellite, monthly Niño 3.4 sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, and ground water level (GWL) data were analyzed. The results of the analysis clearly showed a relationship among the precipitation pattern of the dry season, GWL change, Niño 3.4 SST Anomalies, and fire occurrences. A pattern of low precipitation in the dry season decreased GWL and caused a peat fire peak in the middle of August when daily precipitation reached the minimum. These results suggest that large areas of bared peat in the MRP now has a high susceptibility to fire coupled with the precipitation pattern of the dry season.

Effect of repeated fires on land-cover change on peatland in southern Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, from 1973 to 2005

Fire plays an increasingly important role in deforestation and degradation of carbon-dense tropical peatlands in South-east Asia. In this study, analysis of a time-series of satellite images for the period 1973–2005 showed that repeated, extensive fires, following drainage and selective logging, played an important role in land-cover dynamics and forest loss in the peatlands of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. A study of peatlands in the former Mega Rice Project area revealed a rising trend in the rate of deforestation and identified fire as the principal factor influencing subsequent vegetation succession. A step change in fire regime was identified, with an increase in burned area and fire frequency following peatland drainage. During the 23-year pre-Mega Rice Project period (1973–1996), peat swamp forest was the most extensive land-cover class and fires were of relatively limited extent, with very few repeated fires. During the 9-year post-Mega Rice Project period (1997–2005), there was a 72% fire-related loss in area of peat swamp forest, with most converted to non-woody vegetation, dominated by ferns or mosaics of trees and non-woody vegetation, rather than cultivated land.

Monitoring the effect of restoration measures in Indonesian peatlands by radar satellite imagery

In the context of the ongoing climate change discussions the importance of peatlands as carbon stores is increasingly recognised in the public. Drainage, deforestation and peat fires are the main reasons for the release of huge amounts of carbon from peatlands. Successful restoration of degraded tropical peatlands is of high interest due to their huge carbon store and sequestration potential. The blocking of drainage canals by dam building has become one of the most important measures to restore the hydrology and the ecological function of the peat domes. This study investigates the capability of using multitemporal radar remote sensing imagery for monitoring the hydrological effects of these measures. The study area is the former Mega Rice Project area in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, where peat drainage and forest degradation is especially intense. Restoration measures started in July 2004 by building 30 large dams until June 2008. We applied change detection analysis with more than 80 ENVISAT ASAR and ALOS PALSAR images, acquired between 2004 and 2009. Radar signal increases of up to 1.36 dB show that high frequency multitemporal radar satellite imagery can be used to detect an increase in peat soil moisture after dam construction, especially in deforested areas with a high density of dams. Furthermore, a strong correlation between cross-polarised radar backscatter coefficients and groundwater levels above −50 cm was found. Monitoring peatland rewetting and quantifying groundwater level variations is important information for vegetation re-establishment, fire hazard warning and making carbon emission mitigation tradable under the voluntary carbon market or REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) mechanism.