Deforestation and Peatland Fires in Rupat Island

Prayoto
Forest Division Planning, Riau Provincial Forestry Services, mrpray2000@gmail.com
Abstract :
Riau Province has the largest peat swamp forest ecosystems in Sumatra Island cover the area 4 million hectares or 45% of
Riau Province mainland. Riau peat swamp forests continues to decline due to the conversion of peat swamp forests for palm oil
and acacia plantations. Peatland has function like a sponge absorbing and storing large amounts of water, so that in natural
conditions, peatland is very difficult to burn. However canalization for palm oil and acacia plantations has transformed peatland
into flammable and loss function as a source of water in the dry season.
Riau Province has two types of peat, the first is peat mainland and the second is peat islands. Peat islands are highly vulnerable
to disruption and land use changes because it only rely on rain for water sources, while peat mainland get water from river and
rain. Thus the peat dome in center of island has played important role as water storage and slowly releases water in the dry
season. On this occasion, the authors conducted a study peat forest conversion in Rupat island related to peat fires.
Rupat island is located in the East of Dumai City, it has an area 148500 ha. But actually Rupat island is a union of two islands
separated by Morong strait. This study focuses on south Rupat island 117900 ha which majority consist of peatland, while
North Rupat island is mineral soil. Development of palm oil plantations in Rupat island was done by burning, while acacia
plantation development on peat dome resulted drought in downstream, causing major fire in 2014 and 2015. This paper is
expected to be a input for Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of Riau Province and Goverment of Bengkalis
Regency to peat ecosystem restoration that was already damaged.
Keywords: hotspots, overlay, forest area, peatland, palm oil plantation, acacia plantation, vegetation

International seminar, Riau University, Pekanbaru Agustus 5th, 2015

1 PREFACE
Exploitation of natural resources in small islands
require careful and detailed planning. Exploitation
need to be done sustainably (WCED, 1987), due to
small islands have a limited resource capacity. It
has been conceived jointly by various nations in the
Global Conference on the Sustainable Development
of Small Island Developing States (UNGA, 1994).
One of resolutions stated that sustainability of the
resources in small islands heavily dependent on
asset management of its resources, which they are
generally under pressure.
One of outermost Indonesian small islands is Rupat
islands in Bengkalis Regency. Rupat has strategic
and importance function related to free trade era and
globalization and desire to bring border region as
the front page, which is based on security and
prosperity, development of border areas needs to be
accelerated, but with consideration of environment
carrying capacity because of its nature as a small
island.
Rupat has annual rainfall 2,356 mm / year. Average
air temperature between 25.5 C - 26.4 C. The dry
season occurs from March to August, while the
rainy season occurs from September to February.
Monthly air pressure average 1010.5.
Mayority area of Rupat island (95%) is relatively
flat, with slope dominant 0-3% and 3-8%. Region
with slope> 45%, just covering <1% of the entire
island. The maximum altitude is 40 m above sea
level (asl), most area have a height <30 m asl (Rupat
Island Integrated Urban City, 2008).
Rupat soil types are devided into two major groups.
The first group is mineral soil with young
development level, either with or without the
characteristic of hidromorfik, majority is located in
Northern Rupat and the second group is peatland
majority located in Southern Rupat. These studies
focus on peat swamp forest conversion into palm oil
and acacia plantations on Southern Rupat.
Peatland functions like a sponge absorbing and
store large amounts of water, if undisturbed peat
land is able to store as much water as 0.8 - 0.9 m3 /
m3 of peat. However canalization has transformed
peatland into flammable and loss of function as a
source of water in the dry season.

Analyses were performed using Geographic

Information System (GIS) for Landsat imagery
data processing and hot spots to determine
environmental changes that occur during a certain
period. Hot spot data from MODIS imagery can be
used as an indication of forest / land fires, either
crown fire, surface fire and ground fire. (Ratna Sari
in Achmad Siddik Thoha, 2008).
2 METHODOLOGY
Analyzes of deforestation and peat fires in Rupat
island starting from digital maps collection in Riau
Forestry Service Office in form of Riau
administration map, forest land use agreement map
(TGHK), Indonesian topography map (RBI),
Forestry concession map, Riau leasehold map, Peat
distribution map, Landsat imagery map and hot
spot data from MODIS satellite. After that hot spot
data overlay with Riau thematic maps by ArcGIS
Software.
Step-by-step hot spot data analysis :
1. Downloading NASA data hot spots from
https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/download
/request.php
2. Downloading landsat imagery data from web
site http://glovis.usgs.gov/
3. Combining Landsat Band with ArcGIS
Software click on Data Management Tools
Raster Composite Bands, then
double-click on the Composite Bands. Can
combine more than 3 channels.
4. Open hot spot data with ArcView software by
clicking on the add button Project page as
shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Open hotspot data

5. Click the View> Add Event Theme to see hot

spots position on the map.
6. Change text data format into shapefile format
by click Theme> Convert to Shapefile
7. Open Riau Administrative Map, forest land use
agreement map, Indonesian topography map,
forestry concession map, Riau leasehold map,
and Landsat Imagery map from 1989 until
2014 with click View> Add Theme

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8. Combine hotspot column with table in each

digital map with "Spatial Join" by click View>
Geoprocessing Wizard, select Assign data by
location and select hotspot 2002-2014 for
above column and administration boundary for
bottom column as Figure 2. Perform same
steps to another table digital map.

Figure 2. Joining colomns between tables

9. Open hot spots data table Dbf format (* .dbf)

by Microsoft Excel 2003. Then click Pivot
Table to calculate hot spots based on Riau
administration, forest land use agreement map,
Indonesian
topography
map,
forestry
concession map, Riau leasehold map, and
landsat imagery map as figure 3.

Table 1. Total area of village in South Rupat island

Village
Batu Panjang
Darul Aman
Dungu Baru
Hutan Panjang
Pangkalan Nyirih
Parit Kebumen
Pergam
Sei Cingam
Sri Tanjung
Sukarjo Mesim
Tanjung Kapal
Teluk Lecah
Terkul
Titi Akar
Total

5.365
13.771
1.687
10.198
1.250
6.554
2.253
5.486
2.634
1.279
1.682
917
2.762
9.825
2.940
1.563
1.334
2.922
1.547
3.854
4.334
24.545
2.225
8.159
3.867 10.066,95
5.290
18.759

11,68
8,65
5,56
4,65
1,08
0,78
8,33
1,33
2,48
3,27
20,82
6,92
8,54
15,91

117.900

3.2 South Rupat peatland area

Based on Sumatra island peatland map, South
Rupat peatland area is 88 881 ha / 75.39% of the
land as in Table 2 (Ministry of Agriculture)
Table 2. Peatland depth in South Rupat Island
Depht
0,5 - 1 m
1-2m
2-3m
>4m
Total

Figure 3. Calculating hot spots data based on map theme

Population Area (Ha) % Area

Area (Ha)
377
50.566
27.346
10.592

(%)
0,42
56,89
30,77
11,92

88.881

Before palm oil and forest industry concession

were issued by Ministry of Forestry, peat swamp
forest in south Rupat still good managed with
selective logging by PT. Sri Buana Dumai forest
concession. Peatland distribution maps and
cocession can be seen in figure 4.

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Regional Conditions
Southern Rupat administration consists of 14
village. Total area of each village can be seen in
Table 1 (Rupat District in figures 2014).

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Table 4. Peatland Forest Area in South Rupat based on Forest

Land Use Agreement
Forest Function
Limited forest production
Conversion forest production
Another usage area
Total

Area
75.356
6.600
6.925

(%)
84,78
7,43
7,79

88.881

But by the reason to increase peat swamp forest

productivity, Ministry of Forestry were issued
cocession for palm oil and acacia plantation. Forest
function map can be seen in Figure 5

Figure 4. Peatland distribution maps in south Rupat

List of concession issued by Ministry of Forestry

in peatland can be seen in Table 3.
Tabel 3. Peatland Forestry concession in south Rupat
Company
PT. SRL
PT. MMJ
PT. SG

Area (Ha)
38.382
9.998
7.804

Total

(%)
68,31
17,80
13,89

56.184

PT. SRL converting most of peat swamp forest in

peat dome area that serves as a water supply during
dry season.
3.3 Based on Forest Function
The forest function of South Rupat Peatland is
limited production forest that must be managed
with selective logging system in order to maintain
peat function as water resources in dry season.
Forest functions can be seen in Table 4.

Figure 5. Forest Function Map in South Rupat

3.4 Deforestation in south Rupat

Before Ministry of Forestry issue concession for
palm oil and acacia plantations majority of peat
swamp forest in South Rupat still good. Peoples
settlement and community rubber plantations
almost entirely on mineral soil. People consider it
was important for peat swamp in middle of island
was maintained as a source of water in the dry
season. Forest utilization only for timber
construction and non-timber forest products.

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The first Peatland Deforestation in South Rupat

occurred in 1996 with issuance of palm oil
concession for PT. SG by Minister of Forestry
decree No. 162 / Kpts-II / 1993 dated February 27,
1993 covering an area 8498 Ha. Palm Oil planting
was completed in 1999. Map of PT. SG land
clearing can be seen in Figure 6.

PT. MMJ expand plantation area so that all of

concession that have been released by the Ministry
of Forestry can be planted with oil palm. Map of
PT. MMJ and clearing area can be seen in Figure 7.

Figure 7. Land clearing in 2004

Figure 6. Land clearing in 1996

Can be seen PT. SG using canals to drain peatland

to be planted with palm oil.
Second deforestation second occurred in 2004 with
the issuance of leasehold (HGU) for PT. MMJ by
Decree of Head of National Land Agency No. 48 /
HGU / BPN / 2004 dated August 11, 2004
covering an area of 6000 Ha. PT. MMJ not get
palm oil concession from Ministry of Forestry
because of their land are in Limited Production
Forest (HPT). HGU area was planted completly in
2006.
Forestry Minister legalize this crime in 2008, by
issuing palm oil concession in limited production
forest area with ministerial decree No. SK. 37 /
Menhut-II / 2008 dated February 20, 2008
covering an area of 13 415 hectares. In 2015

Third peatland deforestation in south Rupat occurred in

2009 with issuance of Utilization License for Timber
Forest Products at Industrial Forest Plantation (HTI
IUPHHK-) for PT. SRL by Minister of Forestry
decree No. SK.208 / Menhut-II / 2007 dated May 25,
2007 covering an area of 38 210 hectares. Acacia
planting was completed in 2012. Map of PT. SRL land
clearing area can be seen in Figure 8.

Figure 8. Land clearing in 2013

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3.5 Deforestation and hotspots

Deforestation is closely related with hot spots
occurrence because it used canalization system to
drain peatland so that it become flammable. At
natural conditions to burn peat swamp forest was
almost impossible because it was in wet and humid
conditions. The discussion will be presented for each
company.

3.5.1 PT. SG

3.5.2 PT. MMJ

In 2004 when PT. MMJ was doing peat swamp
forest conversion directly peat fires occur as shown
in Figure 7. It was because of very large canals.
Peat fires coincide with land clearing activities,
this was due to land clearing by fires requires
almost no cost, at same time it improved peat land
fertility. After land clearing activities completed in
2006 until today PT. MMJ area relatively safe
from fires.

In 1996 when PT. SG convert peat swamp forest

become palm oil plantation, peat fires occur directly
as shown in Figure 6. On map it looks a canal was
built so huge to make peatland become dry even
though surrounding area was forested and there was
only one water outlet.
PT. SG Plantation relatively safe from fires until
2002 when fire swept through almost entire
plantation area as shown in Figure 9. This incident
proves that peat island extremely vulnerable to drain,
although surrounding area was still forested.
In 2005 fire struck again almost the entire area of PT.
SG and giving evidence to us that palm oil plantation
is very dangerous either in terms of environment and
economy. In May 2007 there was a HGU shift
concession from PT. SG to PT. PR so that until 2015
PT. PR was relatively safe from fire related to new
company introduced a different technology than
previous shareholders. In 2011 when author visited
PT. PR area, plantation was 6 years old.

Figure 10. Burn area and hotspots in 2006

3.5.3 PT. SRL

Land clearing activities by PT. SRL relatively safe
from fires, because company use water
management technology, until 2012 when
plantation area was completed, PT. SRL relatively
safe from fires.
However, because PT. SRL location was in midle
of south Rupat which was peat dome area, the
island started suffer drought conditions, in 2013 a
fire started in Pergam village which being conflict
with PT. SRL. 2014 was the peak of fire, although
forests in north and east of PT. SRL was still good
but due to severe drought forest being burned
including PT. SRL acacia plantation as shown in
Figure 9. Burn area and hotspots in 2002
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Figure 11. Peatland fires in 2014 spread to burn

rubber and palm oil plantation near people village.
It proves the important role of peat dome as a
source of water in dry season, but because it has
been converted into acacia plantation water source
was almost vanish.

Until 2013 peat fires are relatively limited to area

around Pergam village and Teluk Lecah village
and most of it triggered by land conflict with
PT. SRL.
3.6 Peatland water resources
Peat Island in south Rupat rely on water sources
during dry season from peat dome located in
middle island. Community said on natural
condition peat dome able to regulate water
discharge so that no flood during rainy season and
releasing water slowly during dry season. Situation
changed when peat dome was converted into
acacia plantation, when rain season down stream
area become flood caused by water overflow from
company canal, while in dry season water become
scarce where previously drought never happened.
Digital Elevation Model map and rivers flow in
figure 13 can be seen clearly peat dome function.

Gambar 11. Burn area and hotspots in 2014

3.5.4 Plantation without license

AZ pesantren was the first plantation without
permission burn peatland in order to land clearing in
2005 and continued in 2006. After that was relatively
safe from fire because AZ pesantren was canceled to
built. Akam was the second plantation burn peatland
in 2009, but because of area only 400 Ha the impact
was very small as shown in Figure 12.

Figure 13. Land Elevation Map

Map above shows peat dome is water catchment

for island of South Rupat, so it must be kept in
natural condition.
3.7 Peat fires mitigation
3.7.1 Limited forest production area
Acacia plantation activities that use canal system
must be closed immediately at limited production
forest area. Ministry of Environment and Forestry
should replace clearcut silvicultural system with
selective logging. This is important because canal
system drain peatland become prone to fire.

Figure 12. Burn area and hotspots 2009

Acacia plantations at peat dome should be moved

to bordering area with mineral soil, thus peat dome
can supply water during dry season so it is not
flammable again. Furthermore, give encroachment
licence of Community Forest Plantation (HTR) by
not using canals for plantation area, encroachers

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land can be empowered become acacia plants in

cooperation with acacia plantation company.

Achmad Siddik Thoha, Hotspot data usage for monitoring

forest fires in Indonesia, Faculty of Agriculture, North
Sumatra University, 2008, Medan

The success of forest encroachment management

would greatly reduce peat fire, regarding
encroachers has always used fire for land clearing.

Anonim, Bengkalis Regency in Figure, Statistic Central

Agency of Bengkalis Regency, 2014, Bengkalis

3.7.2 Canal Blocking

Palm oil and acacia plantation companies are
required to use canal blocking at a minimum
distance 500 meters, to ensure water level remains
high and not directly discharged into the sea. Canal
blocking at palm oil and acacia plantations hold
important role because it becomes source of water
in dry season for community settlement located on
coast of Rupat island.

Mustara Hadi, Spatial modeling for fire prone area at

Peatland (Case Study Bengkalis District, Riau Province),
Institure of Bogor Agricultural, 2006, Bogor
Ministry of Man Power and Tranmigration, Rupat Island
Integrated Urban City, 2008, Jakarta
Widiatmaka, et al, Conference on Geospatial Engineering
and Information Science, Gadjah Mada University, Land
Suitability and Rupat Spatial Information, 2014, Yogyakarta

4 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

4.1 Conclusion
1. Palm oil plantation in south Rupat burned area
for land clearing activity, but fire relativly can
be controlled after successful plantation.
2. Acacia plantation use zero polcy burning, but
regarding they used peat dome area make
drought impact for downstream area, causing
devastating fire in 2014 until now.
3. Canal blocking at least every 500 m on palm
oil and acacia plantations are expected to keep
water storage in order to not quickly flow to
sea. In this case PT. Agro Meskom Sarimas
can be used an example.
4.2 Recommendation
1. Peat dome in middle of island should be
returned to natural condition.
2. Peat fires problem solution should be done by
all parties regarding water is a commodity that
should be regulated along together.
3. Land ownership Inventory, state forest, and
company plantation in order to develop
sustainable peatland management.
4. Law enforcement firmly and consistently
against actor and parties who cause fires,
including prevention of transaction costs that
may increase certain parties to make fire.
Reference
Acep Akbar, Forest Fire Control Community-based as a
Prevention and Early Fire Extinguishing, Forestry Research
Center, 2007, Banjar Baru

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