14.5.2 Trials with Timber and Pulpwood Species
From 1992 to 2004 a commercial company developed a 200 ha plantation of
Alstonia pneumatophora on drained peatland at Sungai Aur (Jambi, Sumatra) that
produced soft, fine-grained timber for the production of pencils (Muuss 1996;
Giesen 2015b). However, this has since disappeared following fires and at present
there are no known timber (i.e., wood for other uses than for pulp) plantations on
peatland in Indonesia. The Forestry Department of Gadjah Mada University of
Yogyakarta, Central Java (UGM) is testing several promising species, including
punak (Tetramerista glabra) and two meranti species (belangiran/kahoi (Shorea
balangeran) and meranti bakau (Shorea uliginosa) (Pak Oka Karyanto, personal
communication, 2019), but this is at trial level and needs to be upscaled to commercial levels. FOERDIA is also testing various timber species for paludiculture and has
identified Shorea balangeran as very promising, as it is well adapted to rewetted
peatland and in open areas; they have been studying the physiology, anatomy, and
morphology of Shorea balangeran as part of their ongoing project (personal communication; H.L. Tata, Oct. 2019).
Ramin (Gonystylus bancanus) is a separate case altogether. Its timber is valuable
and highly sought after and hence became the target of intensive logging. However,
the species does not regenerate well in logged-over forests as most young ramin
seedlings and saplings are unable to compete efficiently with light-demanding
species (Khun 2004). As a result of pressures, it has become a threatened species
placed on CITES Appendix I, while Indonesia has also imposed a logging moratorium policy since 2001 that is still in effect (2019). Three ramin conservation
“gardens” have been established by government agencies, two in Sumatra (Ogan
Komering Ilir in South Sumatra and Lubuk Sakat in Riau) and one in Kalimantan
(Tumbang Nusa in Central Kalimantan) and restoration and rehabilitation programs,
but the progress has been very slow and remains insignificant, mainly due to the
scarcity of seeds and planting materials (FORDA 2014). Van der Meer et al. (2004)
observed that ramin regenerated well where remnant ramin trees have developed into
new seed trees and concluded that ramin has the potential to become a successful
plantation tree, although trial plantations are needed to verify this. However, to date,
this has not occurred in Indonesia.
Companies have frequently carried out enrichment planting with desirable timber
species after first carrying out follow-up on selective logging operations in peatland.
For example, from 2003–2008 the parastatal company, Inhutani, assisted by Gadjah
Mada University (Yogyakarta), conducted enrichment planting in 2200 ha of
logged-over PSF at Segedong-Samandaka, West Kalimantan, with at least six
Shorea and one Vatica species (Giesen 2013). Similarly, enrichment planting of
logged peat swamp forest with Dyera polyphylla, Gonystylus bancanus, and
Endospermum diadenum was carried out at Sungai Aur (Jambi, Sumatra) by
PT. Xylo Indah Pratama from 1989 to 1991 and continued for 1–2 years by
PT. Dyera Hutan Lestari (Giesen 2015b).
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W. Giesen
From 1992 to 2004 a commercial company developed a 200 ha plantation of
Alstonia pneumatophora on drained peatland at Sungai Aur (Jambi, Sumatra) that
produced soft, fine-grained timber for the production of pencils (Muuss 1996;
Giesen 2015b). However, this has since disappeared following fires and at present
there are no known timber (i.e., wood for other uses than for pulp) plantations on
peatland in Indonesia. The Forestry Department of Gadjah Mada University of
Yogyakarta, Central Java (UGM) is testing several promising species, including
punak (Tetramerista glabra) and two meranti species (belangiran/kahoi (Shorea
balangeran) and meranti bakau (Shorea uliginosa) (Pak Oka Karyanto, personal
communication, 2019), but this is at trial level and needs to be upscaled to commercial levels. FOERDIA is also testing various timber species for paludiculture and has
identified Shorea balangeran as very promising, as it is well adapted to rewetted
peatland and in open areas; they have been studying the physiology, anatomy, and
morphology of Shorea balangeran as part of their ongoing project (personal communication; H.L. Tata, Oct. 2019).
Ramin (Gonystylus bancanus) is a separate case altogether. Its timber is valuable
and highly sought after and hence became the target of intensive logging. However,
the species does not regenerate well in logged-over forests as most young ramin
seedlings and saplings are unable to compete efficiently with light-demanding
species (Khun 2004). As a result of pressures, it has become a threatened species
placed on CITES Appendix I, while Indonesia has also imposed a logging moratorium policy since 2001 that is still in effect (2019). Three ramin conservation
“gardens” have been established by government agencies, two in Sumatra (Ogan
Komering Ilir in South Sumatra and Lubuk Sakat in Riau) and one in Kalimantan
(Tumbang Nusa in Central Kalimantan) and restoration and rehabilitation programs,
but the progress has been very slow and remains insignificant, mainly due to the
scarcity of seeds and planting materials (FORDA 2014). Van der Meer et al. (2004)
observed that ramin regenerated well where remnant ramin trees have developed into
new seed trees and concluded that ramin has the potential to become a successful
plantation tree, although trial plantations are needed to verify this. However, to date,
this has not occurred in Indonesia.
Companies have frequently carried out enrichment planting with desirable timber
species after first carrying out follow-up on selective logging operations in peatland.
For example, from 2003–2008 the parastatal company, Inhutani, assisted by Gadjah
Mada University (Yogyakarta), conducted enrichment planting in 2200 ha of
logged-over PSF at Segedong-Samandaka, West Kalimantan, with at least six
Shorea and one Vatica species (Giesen 2013). Similarly, enrichment planting of
logged peat swamp forest with Dyera polyphylla, Gonystylus bancanus, and
Endospermum diadenum was carried out at Sungai Aur (Jambi, Sumatra) by
PT. Xylo Indah Pratama from 1989 to 1991 and continued for 1–2 years by
PT. Dyera Hutan Lestari (Giesen 2015b).
430
W. Giesen