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Indonesia faces gigantic task of restoring peatland destroyed by fire
According to the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s law enforcement division, the office has sent as many as 210 warning letters to companies registered as peatland concession holders about alleged negligence that led to forest fires.
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A firefighter prepares to tackle flames engulfing trees and bushes on peatland in Pekanbaru, Riau. Thick smoke and poor access to water sources hampered efforts to put out the fire. (Antara/Rony Muharrman)
I
ndonesia must restore nearly 2.7 million hectares of peatland, two thirds of which are concessions held by plantation companies, which have been destroyed by fire in the last four years, but the way it is going about it, according to an expert, may literally backfire.
According to the Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG), which has been tasked with carrying out restoration projects in peatland areas across the country since 2015, seven provinces are particularly critical for restoration: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan and Papua.
Indonesia's total peatland covers approximately 22.5 million hectares, second in the world after Brazil with 31.5 million ha, according to Global Wetlands data. Aside from preventing drought, peatland also promotes biodiversity.
Failure to restore the burned peatland would pose threats to humans and the environment.
To rehydrate the peatland, BRG has built more than 3,300 canal blocks, installed more than 4,800 well-connected hoses and planted 40 detectors.
However, Gadjah Mada University peatland expert Azwar Maas warned that building canals in peatland areas could result in excessive drainage of freshwater.
“During the dry season, they could deplete the supply of freshwater, which would make the surface of peatland dry and prone to forest fires,” Azwar said at the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) building in East Jakarta on Friday.
