2018). As dense and tall fern and sedge vegetation often quickly establishes in
degraded peatlands, aerial seeding is not an option.
In conservation areas, the choice of species in revegetation programs for degraded
peatland will include fast- growing tree species (to establish a cover) and tree species
that provide food and habitat for wildlife and birds (Giesen and Sari 2018). Many
degraded peatlands, however, do not have a conservation status and in that case
revegetation efforts need to consider the livelihoods of local communities and/or
viability of commercial companies utilizing the peatland. Such an approach, which
combines peatland rewetting with replanting involving economically beneficial
species, is what is commonly understood as “paludiculture” (which literally means
“swamp cultivation”).
14.2 Paludiculture: Concept and General Options
Paludiculture is a swamp cultivation approach developed in the northern temperate
areas as a means of rehabilitating degraded peatland, while making these economically useful at the same time (Wichtmann and Joosten 2007; Schäfer 2011).
Although still a very new concept in Indonesia it has been developed internationally
over the past 1–2 decades, particularly in northern Europe and North America and
the basic approaches are explained in detail by Wichtmann et al. (2016). These
temperate systems are simpler, however, and paludiculture at these latitudes is
usually based on a few products (e.g., Phragmites communis/reeds, Alnus
glutinosa/alder wood, Typha angustifolia for fiber, and several berry-producing
species). Also, these temperate peatlands are largely Sphagnum moss bogs which
present fewer challenges (e.g., in terms of accessibility) compared to tropical
peatlands with a large wood content and lower bulk density. However, similar
principles can and are being applied.
There is a lot of misconception about paludiculture and in Indonesia the term has
been wrongly used to describe all forms of cultivation on peatland, including many
forms of drained-land agriculture (involving dryland species), but also aquaculture,
replanting of beneficial peatland species on drained peatland (i.e., without
rewetting), and even rearing of water buffalos in peatland. True paludiculture,
which combines full rewetting with replanting involving economically beneficial
plant species, has rarely been tried, albeit providing good prospects. There are a few
exceptions, such as traditional extensive sago (sagu/Metroxylon sagu) cultivation for
starch production on undrained peatland on islands off the coast of Riau, Sumatra
(Janssen and Widaretna 2017c) that has been ongoing at least since the late nineteenth century (Giesen 2013), and traditional small-scale cultivation of gray sedge
(purun/Lepironia articulata) on peatland in South Sumatra to be used for weaving
(Goib et al. 2018).
This chapter describes options for paludiculture, both for local communities and
plantation companies. There are two recognized broad types of paludiculture, each
has its own advantages and disadvantages. Firstly, there is paludiculture that is based
14 Tropical Peatland Restoration in Indonesia by Replanting with Useful Indigenous. . .
413
degraded peatlands, aerial seeding is not an option.
In conservation areas, the choice of species in revegetation programs for degraded
peatland will include fast- growing tree species (to establish a cover) and tree species
that provide food and habitat for wildlife and birds (Giesen and Sari 2018). Many
degraded peatlands, however, do not have a conservation status and in that case
revegetation efforts need to consider the livelihoods of local communities and/or
viability of commercial companies utilizing the peatland. Such an approach, which
combines peatland rewetting with replanting involving economically beneficial
species, is what is commonly understood as “paludiculture” (which literally means
“swamp cultivation”).
14.2 Paludiculture: Concept and General Options
Paludiculture is a swamp cultivation approach developed in the northern temperate
areas as a means of rehabilitating degraded peatland, while making these economically useful at the same time (Wichtmann and Joosten 2007; Schäfer 2011).
Although still a very new concept in Indonesia it has been developed internationally
over the past 1–2 decades, particularly in northern Europe and North America and
the basic approaches are explained in detail by Wichtmann et al. (2016). These
temperate systems are simpler, however, and paludiculture at these latitudes is
usually based on a few products (e.g., Phragmites communis/reeds, Alnus
glutinosa/alder wood, Typha angustifolia for fiber, and several berry-producing
species). Also, these temperate peatlands are largely Sphagnum moss bogs which
present fewer challenges (e.g., in terms of accessibility) compared to tropical
peatlands with a large wood content and lower bulk density. However, similar
principles can and are being applied.
There is a lot of misconception about paludiculture and in Indonesia the term has
been wrongly used to describe all forms of cultivation on peatland, including many
forms of drained-land agriculture (involving dryland species), but also aquaculture,
replanting of beneficial peatland species on drained peatland (i.e., without
rewetting), and even rearing of water buffalos in peatland. True paludiculture,
which combines full rewetting with replanting involving economically beneficial
plant species, has rarely been tried, albeit providing good prospects. There are a few
exceptions, such as traditional extensive sago (sagu/Metroxylon sagu) cultivation for
starch production on undrained peatland on islands off the coast of Riau, Sumatra
(Janssen and Widaretna 2017c) that has been ongoing at least since the late nineteenth century (Giesen 2013), and traditional small-scale cultivation of gray sedge
(purun/Lepironia articulata) on peatland in South Sumatra to be used for weaving
(Goib et al. 2018).
This chapter describes options for paludiculture, both for local communities and
plantation companies. There are two recognized broad types of paludiculture, each
has its own advantages and disadvantages. Firstly, there is paludiculture that is based
14 Tropical Peatland Restoration in Indonesia by Replanting with Useful Indigenous. . .
413