Transcript ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS OF PEATLAND DEVELOPMENT …

PEATLAND UTILISATION IN
MALAYSIA: THE PRESENT
STATUS
by
James Dawos Mamit, MP
President, the Malaysian Peat Society &
Environmental Advisor to Sarawak
State Govt.
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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Peatland Distribution
Peatland area in Malaysia:
 Total Area: approximately
2.4 million ha (8% of
country’s total land area).
 1.6 million ha in Sarawak
(13% of State’s land area)
Characteristics:
 Intersected by rivers, deltaic
channels & streams
 65% organic matter
 pH 3.85 – 4.15
 Permanently saturated with
water
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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Land area
Malaysia
Peninsular
Sarawak
Sabah
- 328,750 km2
- 2.4 million ha
- 0.7 million ha
- 1.6 million ha
- 0.1 million ha
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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Economic Importance ….
Forestry:

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RM5 billion worth of timber
products (33% of total
export earnings of timber)
from Sarawak.
Present rate of extraction in
natural forests 600,000 m3
in PSF in Sarawak, mainly
from areas designated as
Permanent Forest Estate.
No timber extraction in
Peninsular & Sabah due to
depletion.
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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Economic Importance ….
Oil Palm Plantation:
 About 400,000 ha
already in mature
plantations in
Peninsular.
 About 635,000 ha
already planted in
Sarawak from a total
800,000 ha alienated
as plantations.
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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Economic Importance ….
Ecotourism:
 Unique ecosystems;
High diversity of flora;
High diversity of fauna;
such as Orang Utan,
Red-Banded Langur &
Proboscis Monkey.
 Non-timber products:
Latex, fruits, bark (no
longer done) &
medicinal plants
(potential).
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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Environmental Significance ….


Maintaining global carbon
balance:
15% of global peatland
carbon reside in tropical
peatland; draining of
peatland oxidises carbon &
CO2 is released into the
atmosphere.
Providing reservoirs of
freshwater:
peat dome has high water
retention capacity;
groundwater recharge is
dependent upon ratio of
depth of peatland dome,
vegetation & water table
gradient.
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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Environmental Significance ….

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Stabilizing water levels:
peat releases stored water
during drier period, acts as
sponges & absorbs water
during heavy rainfall,
thereby reducing flood
peaks & mitigating flooding
& water stress.
Buffer against saline
intrusion:
waterlogged condition
maintains constant base
flows of underground water,
preventing saline intrusion
further upstream.
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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Impact of Peatland Development ….
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Degradation of Peat Swamp
Forest (PSF) Ecosystem:
Repeated forest harvesting leads
to destruction of forest
ecosystems & fauna habitats,
causing hosts of fauna species to
take refuge in neighbouring areas
& become pests.
Loss of forest cover by
conversion to agriculture
plantations causes plant & animal
species to disappear or perish;
Red-banded langur most affected.
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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Impact of Peatland Development ….
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IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
Soil subsidence:
Draining of peatland lowers water
table causing subsidence
Rate of subsidence 20 – 50 cm per
year over a period of 5 years after
drainage & thereafter 5 cm per
year.
Oxidation & acidity:
Peatland water is acidic & once
drained, peatwater causes severe
damage to flora & fauna habitats
in adjacent areas.
Compaction or shrinkage of peat
soils may cause groundwater
containing fertilizer or pesticide
residues to flow from agricultural
area to adjacent water catchment
area.
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Impact of Peatland Development ….
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Flooding & loss of water
supply sources:
Conversion of peatland into
non-peat diminishes water
retention capability,
resulting in greater
discharge volume of water
from surface runoff rather
than underground recharge,
thus greater risk of
downstream flooding.
Loss of water catchment
areas, jeopardising watersupply intake.
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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Impact of Peatland Development ….
 Water
pollution:
 Agricultural NPS is
leading source of
water pollution
 Nitrates &
phosphates have
eutrophication effect
 Pesticides &
fertilizers
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February 2009,
Schiphol
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Impact of Peatland Development ….
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IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
Air pollution from
peatland fires:
Peatland fires create
much more smoke &
difficult to extinguish,
smoldering
underground.
Fire hazard during
prolonged drought
Available peatland in
Peninsular already
degraded by fires.
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Impact of Peatland Development ….
 Loss
of
biodiversity:
 Conversion to
other land uses
destroy forest
stands & wildlife
habitats
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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Impact of Peatland Development ….
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Loss of traditional
knowledge:
Loss of sources of natural
materials for useful nontimber products &
traditional medicines if
peatland is cleared, leading
to erosion of traditional
knowledge of indigenous
people.
Impact on tourism:
Depletion of PSF has
reduced opportunities on
ecotourism.
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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Is sustainability achieveable
in tropical peatland
utilisation?
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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Development Management
Strategies Should Consider …
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Larger peatland areas as
mainstay for forestry &
biodiversity conservation
Periphery of independent
peatland basin for
agricultural purposes
Baseline data & information
needed
Least impact strategy for
peatland development
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February17
2009, Schiphol
Sustainable Timber Production
Continuous assessment of harvested forest
to determine future stocks and conduct
silvicultural treatment where required
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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Conservation in Totally Protected
Areas (TPAs): 312,420 ha designated
mainly in Sarawak
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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CONCLUSION
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Understanding the physical,
chemical, biological &
ecological elements of
tropical peatland resources
& their responses to
anthropogenic causes are
important
Attention should focus on
conserving of what is left
Sustainable development of
peatland is necessary for the
benefits of the present &
future generations
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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[email protected]
[email protected]
IPS Meeting, 13-15 February
2009, Schiphol
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