plantations (21%). The cultivated areas include small-scale oil palm, sago, coconut,
and pineapple farms as well as large-scale industrial plantations of mainly oil palms
and trees for pulpwood. In Kalimantan, most of the peatland (almost 25%) is
dominated by abandoned degraded landscapes, and only 2% of the area is used for
plantations.
Because it has the largest tropical peat swamp forests in Sumatera, Riau has an
important role, namely, to promote the responsible management of tropical
peatlands. Kalimantan also has a peatland area of 57,600 km
2 , approximately
30,100 km
2 of which is situated in Central Kalimantan (Bartholome et al. 2002).
Sumatra and Kalimantan were selected as the initial sites for the promotion of
responsible tropical peatland management through AeroHydro culture. The first
AeroHydro culture implementation trials occurred in Siak District (Riau) and
Palangka Raya (Central Kalimantan).
Siak District was one of the areas chosen as a research location. Most the peatland
therein is used for plantations. Peatlands in the cultivation zone are allowed to be
managed in accordance with the existing regulations. Efforts to prevent damage to
peatlands need to be implemented, ergo, the management practices used must follow
the principles of peat-friendly and sustainable land management. The peatland in
Siak is classified as inland or basin peatland (Anshari et al. 2010) in which peat
domes may exist in flat form. The peatland at this research site is mainly used for oil
palm plantations (Marwanto et al. 2018). Siak District has an area of 8556.09 km
2
and is located almost in the middle of Riau Province. Siak District is directly
bordered by Bengkalis District in the north, Kepulauan Meranti District in the
east, Pelalawan District in the south, and Pekanbaru City and Kampar District in
the west. Many rivers pass through Siak District. The rivers that flow in Siak District
include the Siak River, Mandau River, Gasib River, Apit River, Tengah River, Rawa
River, Buantan River, Limau River, and Bayam River. Among all these rivers, one
of the famous rivers is the Siak River. The Siak River splits the district and is also
known as the deepest river in Indonesia.
The majority of Siak District’s landscape is a lowland. This lowland covers
almost the entire region, except for a portion of the western part that constitutes a
highland. The land use in Siak is also diverse, given that the soil structure generally
consists of red and yellow podosols; rocky, alluvial, and organosol soil; and humusgleyic soils in the form of swamps or wet soils, including peatland. The peatland
distribution area in Siak District is fairly broad. The peatland areas cover the lowland
morphological units. Peatland areas are located around the Libo region to the north
and west; around Lubuk Dalam to the east to the Zamrud region; and in Sei Apit
Sub-District and the Perawang region. The research site was located in Koto Ringin
village.
The second research site was located in Central Kalimantan. Tane Pambelum is a
peatland area with private ownership status, located along Jl. Lintas Palangka Raya
(Trans Kalimantan) km 30.5, Pulang Pisau. Administratively, it is located in
Tumbang Nusa village, Jabiren Raya Sub-District, Pulang Pisau District, Central
Kalimantan Province. The total area of peatland in Tane and Jumpun Pambelum is
100.000 m
2 or 10 hectares. Jumpun and Tane Pambelum were originally former
7 Principles of AeroHydro Culture
271
and pineapple farms as well as large-scale industrial plantations of mainly oil palms
and trees for pulpwood. In Kalimantan, most of the peatland (almost 25%) is
dominated by abandoned degraded landscapes, and only 2% of the area is used for
plantations.
Because it has the largest tropical peat swamp forests in Sumatera, Riau has an
important role, namely, to promote the responsible management of tropical
peatlands. Kalimantan also has a peatland area of 57,600 km
2 , approximately
30,100 km
2 of which is situated in Central Kalimantan (Bartholome et al. 2002).
Sumatra and Kalimantan were selected as the initial sites for the promotion of
responsible tropical peatland management through AeroHydro culture. The first
AeroHydro culture implementation trials occurred in Siak District (Riau) and
Palangka Raya (Central Kalimantan).
Siak District was one of the areas chosen as a research location. Most the peatland
therein is used for plantations. Peatlands in the cultivation zone are allowed to be
managed in accordance with the existing regulations. Efforts to prevent damage to
peatlands need to be implemented, ergo, the management practices used must follow
the principles of peat-friendly and sustainable land management. The peatland in
Siak is classified as inland or basin peatland (Anshari et al. 2010) in which peat
domes may exist in flat form. The peatland at this research site is mainly used for oil
palm plantations (Marwanto et al. 2018). Siak District has an area of 8556.09 km
2
and is located almost in the middle of Riau Province. Siak District is directly
bordered by Bengkalis District in the north, Kepulauan Meranti District in the
east, Pelalawan District in the south, and Pekanbaru City and Kampar District in
the west. Many rivers pass through Siak District. The rivers that flow in Siak District
include the Siak River, Mandau River, Gasib River, Apit River, Tengah River, Rawa
River, Buantan River, Limau River, and Bayam River. Among all these rivers, one
of the famous rivers is the Siak River. The Siak River splits the district and is also
known as the deepest river in Indonesia.
The majority of Siak District’s landscape is a lowland. This lowland covers
almost the entire region, except for a portion of the western part that constitutes a
highland. The land use in Siak is also diverse, given that the soil structure generally
consists of red and yellow podosols; rocky, alluvial, and organosol soil; and humusgleyic soils in the form of swamps or wet soils, including peatland. The peatland
distribution area in Siak District is fairly broad. The peatland areas cover the lowland
morphological units. Peatland areas are located around the Libo region to the north
and west; around Lubuk Dalam to the east to the Zamrud region; and in Sei Apit
Sub-District and the Perawang region. The research site was located in Koto Ringin
village.
The second research site was located in Central Kalimantan. Tane Pambelum is a
peatland area with private ownership status, located along Jl. Lintas Palangka Raya
(Trans Kalimantan) km 30.5, Pulang Pisau. Administratively, it is located in
Tumbang Nusa village, Jabiren Raya Sub-District, Pulang Pisau District, Central
Kalimantan Province. The total area of peatland in Tane and Jumpun Pambelum is
100.000 m
2 or 10 hectares. Jumpun and Tane Pambelum were originally former
7 Principles of AeroHydro Culture
271