Global COE Program - Kyoto University - In Search of Sustainable Humanosphere in Asia and Africa

Record of Activity>>

Date:June 12, 2009 (Fri.) 10：00-12:00
Venue: 330 Meeting Room, the 3rd floor, Inamori Foundation Memorial bldg.

Presentation
Prof. Mitsuru OSAKI
Director of Sustainability Governance Project of Hokaido University

Title: Project for Peat Carbon Initiatives
(Hokaido University Project with LIPI 1997 – 2006)

【Record of Activity】

Earth with tropical peat carbon is mainly located in Indonesia, the Amazon region, Brazil and Central African countries. The total carbon peat of tropical forest is estimated at about 83.8 Gt, with Indonesia accounting for about 50% of this amount at 44.5 Gt, located in Kalimantan, Sumatra and Papua. The management and restoration of this area is very important. The project for peat carbon initiatives is situated in the Mega Rice Project, a 1 Million-Hectare Project began during the Soeharto presidency in the Center of Kalimantan. The project is located nearby Sebangau National Park and Kahayan National Park. Several local institutions such as LIPI, University of Palangkaraya and Bogor Agricultural University take part in the project with the title: Wild Fire and Carbon Management in Peat Forest of Indonesia. The area is currently devastated. The soil type in the area is sandy podzolic. It has extremely poor nutrients, Al3+ and contains toxic with pH no more than 3, Acid Sulfate Soil. The original vegetation is Melaleuca cajuput. Currently the planting of oil palm and sago palm are increasing in this area. The emission of carbon from the peat area to the air by forest fires in Indonesia due to El Nino in 1997, 1998, and 2002 was estimated at about 5 – 8 Mt C/Mill.Ha/year, equal to 1 – 2% of the carbon emission of fossil fuel in Japan.

In the program "Fire and carbon management in peat-forest in Indonesia"(2009-2014) Several activities such as (1) satellite image sensing to measuring the groundwater level, (2) assessment of carbon (the instruments installed at three locations), and　(3) carbon management and peat management. Apart from these activities some social studies of local culture and also development programs such as Eco-education and training, volunteer work on planting trees and reforestation by local people were implemented during the project.
 

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Reduction of Emission from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) exist as part of the effort to mitigate global warming. The REDD system in particular pays more attention to the peat forest areas.
 

Discussion
(Prof. Kobayashi) The soil of peat swamp areas has extreme acidity with pH often less than 3. When the peat forest is depredated, the soil nutrient is leached. Boron content, which is an important nutrient for plant growth, is absorbed by the peat that creates difficult conditions for plants to grow. Only limited species can survive in these conditions such Melaleuca and some Shores sp. When it has become degraded, peat forest is difficult to regenerate. A soil layer of at least 1 meter from the peat is necessary for microorganism that support the survival of vegetation to grow on the surface of peat area.
 

Comments
Dr. Kozan Osamu:
(1) Abundance of tropical precipitation takes part in the formation of the peat in the swamp areas.
(2) In the abandoned areas, such as the research site, the kind of rehabilitation activities which are suited needs to be given considerable thought. For example the establishment of oil palm which would generate additional economic value for the community, but its ecological value to the environment has to be examined further.
(3) Concerning the question of the time scale to produce a local solution, a simulation can be conducted to measure the evaporation of water in the peat swamp area.
(4) Regarding the question of observation/studies on the balance of CO2, microorganisms, plant/vegetation has been conducted by the Research Institute of Sustainable Humanosphere since 2002 by using a monitor tower. The data of forest water evaporation, CO2, energy transport (FFPRI FluxNet), will be made available to the public.
 

(Kusumaningtyas Retno)