evapotranspiration function should also be considered because tropical peatlands
undoubtedly hold a massive amount of water. Thus, there is a close relationship
between tropical peatlands and the global water cycle. Unfortunately, the tropical
peatlands are currently at the cutting edge of development, with important water
storage and evapotranspiration functions that are still not fully understood. Consequently, land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) in the tropical peatlands
can strongly affect the atmospheric water supply on local, regional, and continental
scales, as well as global climate change.
Perspectives on the loss of peatlands and their impact on climate change reveal a
general agreement that peatlands store approximately one-third of all soil carbon in
the tropics, subarctic, and boreal regions (Wilson et al. 2016; Page et al. 2011). In
particular, tropical peatlands have been estimated to constitute 11% of the global
peat area. Moreover, 17% of the total peat carbon is stored in the tropical zone, with
the largest deposit found around the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo, Sumatra,
and New Guinea; the Congo Basin; and Western Amazonia (Dargie et al. 2017; Page
et al. 2011).
Several studies have demonstrated that the destruction of tropical peatlands has
critical impacts on global climate change because these regions are an enormous sink
of water and carbon, an irreversible ecosystem. The carbon, in particular, could be
stored in ten times higher quantities in tropical peatlands than in land with mineral
soil. The destruction of tropical peatlands with such huge carbon storage capabilities
would result in the release of carbon into the atmosphere, and the impact on global
climate change is obvious.
Tropical peatland has been mainly utilized for palm oil in agriculture and pulp for
forestry purposes. Although large-scale developments of peatland for agriculture and
forestry have been implemented for more than 25 years (Miettinen et al. 2016), the
crucial lack of understanding about peat ecosystem properties leads to
mismanagement of peatlands, finally resulting in significant destruction of the
tropical peatlands, in addition to inadequate management, illegal logging and
unmanaged slash-and-burn cultivation, which aggravate peatland destructions, has
continued to this day.
In 2015, Southeast Asia experienced the worst forest fire and haze pollution after
1997 (Huijnen et al. 2016), and this pollution was aggravated by strong El Niño
conditions. Hotspots of fire were observed by MODIS in 53% of the 15.6 Mha of
peatland studied, which was half of the peatland area of the Peninsular Malaysia,
Sumatra, and Borneo (Miettinen et al. 2017). In Indonesia, approximately more than
2 Mha of peatlands should be restored and rehabilitated after being damaged by the
catastrophic forest/peat fires in 2015 (Presidential Decree 2016).
In conclusion, based on the importance of the functions of peatlands such as water
storage, evapotranspiration, and the carbon sink, it seems natural to conclude that the
intact tropical peatlands should be absolutely protected or managed intensively by
restoration activities in case some developments have already occurred.
This chapter, therefore, contributes to the overall understanding of the importance
of tropical peatland Eco-management, which should be taken seriously by
implementing the best practice of water management systems. PT. Wana Subur
3 Large-Scale Practice on Tropical Peatland Eco-Management
91
undoubtedly hold a massive amount of water. Thus, there is a close relationship
between tropical peatlands and the global water cycle. Unfortunately, the tropical
peatlands are currently at the cutting edge of development, with important water
storage and evapotranspiration functions that are still not fully understood. Consequently, land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) in the tropical peatlands
can strongly affect the atmospheric water supply on local, regional, and continental
scales, as well as global climate change.
Perspectives on the loss of peatlands and their impact on climate change reveal a
general agreement that peatlands store approximately one-third of all soil carbon in
the tropics, subarctic, and boreal regions (Wilson et al. 2016; Page et al. 2011). In
particular, tropical peatlands have been estimated to constitute 11% of the global
peat area. Moreover, 17% of the total peat carbon is stored in the tropical zone, with
the largest deposit found around the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo, Sumatra,
and New Guinea; the Congo Basin; and Western Amazonia (Dargie et al. 2017; Page
et al. 2011).
Several studies have demonstrated that the destruction of tropical peatlands has
critical impacts on global climate change because these regions are an enormous sink
of water and carbon, an irreversible ecosystem. The carbon, in particular, could be
stored in ten times higher quantities in tropical peatlands than in land with mineral
soil. The destruction of tropical peatlands with such huge carbon storage capabilities
would result in the release of carbon into the atmosphere, and the impact on global
climate change is obvious.
Tropical peatland has been mainly utilized for palm oil in agriculture and pulp for
forestry purposes. Although large-scale developments of peatland for agriculture and
forestry have been implemented for more than 25 years (Miettinen et al. 2016), the
crucial lack of understanding about peat ecosystem properties leads to
mismanagement of peatlands, finally resulting in significant destruction of the
tropical peatlands, in addition to inadequate management, illegal logging and
unmanaged slash-and-burn cultivation, which aggravate peatland destructions, has
continued to this day.
In 2015, Southeast Asia experienced the worst forest fire and haze pollution after
1997 (Huijnen et al. 2016), and this pollution was aggravated by strong El Niño
conditions. Hotspots of fire were observed by MODIS in 53% of the 15.6 Mha of
peatland studied, which was half of the peatland area of the Peninsular Malaysia,
Sumatra, and Borneo (Miettinen et al. 2017). In Indonesia, approximately more than
2 Mha of peatlands should be restored and rehabilitated after being damaged by the
catastrophic forest/peat fires in 2015 (Presidential Decree 2016).
In conclusion, based on the importance of the functions of peatlands such as water
storage, evapotranspiration, and the carbon sink, it seems natural to conclude that the
intact tropical peatlands should be absolutely protected or managed intensively by
restoration activities in case some developments have already occurred.
This chapter, therefore, contributes to the overall understanding of the importance
of tropical peatland Eco-management, which should be taken seriously by
implementing the best practice of water management systems. PT. Wana Subur
3 Large-Scale Practice on Tropical Peatland Eco-Management
91