Fertilization should be avoided as much as possible when carrying out sustainable
agriculture and forestry on tropical peatlands or restoring peatlands that have been
severely degraded by fire or other causes. In fact, the two companies described in
Chap. 3, which have developed eco-management practices, do not use any fertilizer
in their plantations. It is related to the concept of AeroHydro, described in Chap. 7,
where the management of the rhizosphere is crucial.
2.5.4 Forests
Forests are a keystone or milestone for the link between the cycles and reservoirs of
water, carbon, and nutrients. If there is no forest in peatlands, excess solar energy
heats the peatland and accelerates the rapid destruction of all flows (cycling) of
carbon, water, and nutrients and causes the gradual decrease or loss of all stocks
(reservoirs) of carbon, water, and nutrients.
In terms of the global water cycle, forests are boosters of the water cycle through
evapotranspiration. Therefore, peatlands that have been turned into non-forested
land by fire urgently need forest restoration. Of course, forestry companies also
need to manage the peatlands and plantation trees properly.
2.6 Innovation on Water Cycle and Water Reservoir
Diagram (Fig. 2.4) demonstrates two different water management systems. The
conventional water management is called the Drainage-based water management
(Drainage-based WM) system, which has been applied in the former Mega Rice
Project, and pulp and oil palm plantations for maintaining a low groundwater level
(GWL).
A new innovative water management system is called the Stock-based water
management (Stock-based WM) system, which is like an irrigation system, and water
is supplied from a water reservoir on upstream of the area in the dry season.
The problem with the conventional Drainage-based WM is that it aggressively
facilitates drainage of water from peatlands because of the mistaken belief that if the
peatland was not drained, cultivated plants would not be able to grow as expected.
However, the new proposed management, Stock-based WM, focuses on how to
block and control water flow along the slopes and retain water in the system for as
long as possible.
In general, a peat dome has been described as unique topographies that should be
preserved. As indicated in Chap. 1, the top of peat domes is a relatively flat or gentle
slope, and then the edge of the peat dome forms a steep slope. Unfortunately, most
commercial activities such as agriculture and forestry plantations have been
implemented on the steep slope area. The results of the conventional method
(Drainage-based WM) were clearly devastating because the method is designed to
2 Principles of Eco-Management in a Large-Scale Ecosystem of Tropical Peatland
75
agriculture and forestry on tropical peatlands or restoring peatlands that have been
severely degraded by fire or other causes. In fact, the two companies described in
Chap. 3, which have developed eco-management practices, do not use any fertilizer
in their plantations. It is related to the concept of AeroHydro, described in Chap. 7,
where the management of the rhizosphere is crucial.
2.5.4 Forests
Forests are a keystone or milestone for the link between the cycles and reservoirs of
water, carbon, and nutrients. If there is no forest in peatlands, excess solar energy
heats the peatland and accelerates the rapid destruction of all flows (cycling) of
carbon, water, and nutrients and causes the gradual decrease or loss of all stocks
(reservoirs) of carbon, water, and nutrients.
In terms of the global water cycle, forests are boosters of the water cycle through
evapotranspiration. Therefore, peatlands that have been turned into non-forested
land by fire urgently need forest restoration. Of course, forestry companies also
need to manage the peatlands and plantation trees properly.
2.6 Innovation on Water Cycle and Water Reservoir
Diagram (Fig. 2.4) demonstrates two different water management systems. The
conventional water management is called the Drainage-based water management
(Drainage-based WM) system, which has been applied in the former Mega Rice
Project, and pulp and oil palm plantations for maintaining a low groundwater level
(GWL).
A new innovative water management system is called the Stock-based water
management (Stock-based WM) system, which is like an irrigation system, and water
is supplied from a water reservoir on upstream of the area in the dry season.
The problem with the conventional Drainage-based WM is that it aggressively
facilitates drainage of water from peatlands because of the mistaken belief that if the
peatland was not drained, cultivated plants would not be able to grow as expected.
However, the new proposed management, Stock-based WM, focuses on how to
block and control water flow along the slopes and retain water in the system for as
long as possible.
In general, a peat dome has been described as unique topographies that should be
preserved. As indicated in Chap. 1, the top of peat domes is a relatively flat or gentle
slope, and then the edge of the peat dome forms a steep slope. Unfortunately, most
commercial activities such as agriculture and forestry plantations have been
implemented on the steep slope area. The results of the conventional method
(Drainage-based WM) were clearly devastating because the method is designed to
2 Principles of Eco-Management in a Large-Scale Ecosystem of Tropical Peatland
75