PEATLAND UTILISATION IN MALAYSIA: THE PRESENT STATUS by

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PEATLAND UTILISATION IN MALAYSIA THE PRESENT
STATUSby

• James Dawos Mamit, MP
• President, the Malaysian Peat Society
  Environmental Advisor to Sarawak State Govt.

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Peatland Distribution

• Peatland area in Malaysia
• Total Area approximately 2.4 million ha (8 of
  countrys total land area).
• 1.6 million ha in Sarawak (13 of States land
  area)
• Characteristics
• Intersected by rivers, deltaic channels streams
• 65 organic matter
• pH 3.85 4.15
• Permanently saturated with water

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Land area - 328,750
km2 Malaysia - 2.4 million
ha Peninsular - 0.7 million ha Sarawak
- 1.6 million ha Sabah
- 0.1 million ha
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Economic Importance .

• Forestry
• 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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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Environmental Significance .

• 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.

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Impact of Peatland Development .

• 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.

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Impact of Peatland Development .

• 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 .

• 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
  water-supply intake.

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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

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Impact of Peatland Development .

• 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

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Impact of Peatland Development .

• Loss of traditional knowledge
• Loss of sources of natural materials for useful
  non-timber 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.

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Is sustainability achieveable in tropical
peatland utilisation?
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Development Management Strategies Should Consider

• 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

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Sustainable Timber Production
Continuous assessment of harvested forest to
determine future stocks and conduct silvicultural
treatment where required
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Conservation in Totally Protected Areas (TPAs)
312,420 ha designated mainly in Sarawak
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CONCLUSION

• 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

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Thank You
dawos_at_tm.net.my dawos_mamit_at_hotmail
.com