Category: Oil Palm Plantations

Jambi Province Sumatra where 90% of fires are deliberately lite

by maximos62, posted in Asia, economics, environment, geography, Health, indigenous, Indonesia, Oil Palm Plantations, peatlands

Yesterday, I woke up and stepped out of my 19th-floor apartment, on the way to church. Passing the light well, its orientation one that scoops in sea breezes, the first thing I smelled was that familiar odour of distant fires. I realise now that it was probably blowing in from Sumatra's Jambi Province, Desa Rimau … Continue reading Jambi Province Sumatra where 90% of fires are deliberately lite

Unregistered Plantation in Riau Encroaching on Giam Siak Kecil Biosphere Reserve

by maximos62, posted in Asia, environment, geography, indigenous, Indonesia, Oil Palm Plantations, peatlands, Riau

Figure 1: Clearing on the margins of an unregistered plantation in the Siak Kecil area of Riau Province When I first saw this image it saddened me. I had already travelled through the region, not precisely this spot at 0° 59' 54.9996' N, 101° 53' 3.0012' E, but further to the north and west.  Travelling … Continue reading Unregistered Plantation in Riau Encroaching on Giam Siak Kecil Biosphere Reserve

#Change in Riau from closed canopy forest to plantations

by maximos62, posted in Asia, environment, geography, indigenous, Indonesia, Oil Palm Plantations, peatlands

This morning my colleague Prayoto Tonoto sent me a diagram. It illustrated the stages in the transformation of forests from closed canopy systems to the monocultural plantations that are such a major feature of Riau's landscape. In an earlier blog post, I made mention of these stages Stage 1: Selection Logging Selective logging over a 20-year period. … Continue reading #Change in Riau from closed canopy forest to plantations