Pengaruh karakteristik gambut terdegradasi terhadap kebakaran lahan gambut (Studi kasus lahan gambut PLG Blok A di Kalimantan Tengah)

Abstract

The tropical peatlands in Central Kalimantan have been extensively and intensively degraded as a result of unsustainable land management impacting the vast fire hazard of the last 3 decades. One of them is in Ex-Mega Rice Project (EMRP) one million hectare in Block A, Sei Ahas Village, Mentangai, Kapuas District, Central Kalimantan opened in 1995-1996 which was discontinued in 1999. Peatlands clearance has become a crucial issue related to peatland wildfires. The largest fires has occurred in 2015. Damage caused to peatlands degradation in Kalimantan and Sumatra, mainly due to: agricultural activities, irrigation/drainage networks, illegal logging, and wildfires. This present research will identify the correlation of peat degradation and peatland wildfires trigger with restoration process. Restoration process that has been built in that area is canal blocking (tabat). Method that used in this research are observations and laboratorium process. Peat sample tested by peat ability in absorb water in some treatments. Based on observations of peatlands degradation represented by canal C (without tabat) with canal restoration process on canal E (tabat 1) and D (tabat 2) after wildfires hazard in 2015 with direct observation and peat water absorb capacity testing. It is found that canal E that had a longer through restoration process provides better results in absorbing water. Ecosystems in upstream canal E also show better results from the restoration process.