BANDA ACEH, RIMANEWS - Drought and forest fires which now frequently affected the swamp forests in the western part of Aceh is not only the impact of global warming. Land use change from peat swamp forest into oil palm plantations in recent years is blamed as the main cause. Palm oil has require absurd amount of water and has eventually dry out water source located around the plantations. In addition to that, palm oil plantation has reduce land fertility, making the land unproductive for the next crop cycle.

It is ironic that this water-greedy plant is the plant that has changed the whole landscape of what-once-was healthy peat swamp forest in Tripa and Singkil. "In fact, Tripa peatswamp is no longer swamp forest, it has become vast area of plantations" add WALHI Executi Director TM Zulfikar on Sunday (18/9/2011)

Massive land use change in Aceh takes place due to continuous permits (HGU) dispersal from government to plantation companies operating in peat swamp areas. There are five companies operating in Tripa Swamp alone, controlling 70 percent of land area and more than 90 percent of plantations.

The ramification is obvious, out of initially 70,000 ha of forest, only less than 20,000 natural forest left, the rest has turned into palm oil plantation and critical land.

The land use change has obviously impacted the ecosystem services and natural function of the forest, especially as water storage and supplier. Now without healthy standing forest, floods frequently washed the area around Tripa Swamp, in Nagan Raya District during rainy season. When dry season rolled in, drought take over the area.

We have repeatedly urged suspension of new permits and revocation of existing HGU. Sadly, the reality today is companies continue operating and expanding its plantation area, said TM Zulfikar.

The spatial plan (RTRW) regulating forest land use has not been realized until now, RTRW is hoped to include peat forest area on the west coast of Aceh as part of protected forest. Therefore, there are good legal ground to  stop reckless and unnecessary land conversion on the area.

Unfortunately, draft of RTRW Aceh are still under intensive discussions for two major reasons: (1) The absence of strategic environmental impact assessment (KLHS) as mandated in Act 32 of 2009 (2) disputes between district government and provincial government regarding total areas of protected forest and non-protected forest.

In separate occasion, sub-district head of Tripa Maksir, Abdul Kadir admid the drought in his area has worsen over time, clean water is scarce resources during dry season. In the past, the community rely on river flow for water during dry season, but the last few years has seen major decrease in water supply in rivers and wells. He blamed plantations for the problems, most of the water from the river were being diverted to irrigate their ever expanding plantations.

Source - RIMA News