Optimization Implementation of Suspendated Peoples

Hydrology Policy (KHG) in Riau Province

Febri Yuliani

Lecturer of Public Administration, Fakulty of Social and Political Science, University of Riau

Bina Widya Campus Km 12.5 Simpang Baru, Tampan Pekanbaru, 28293, Indonesia

Keywords: Public Policy, Peat Hydrological Unity

Abstract: Peat ecosystem is an element of peat structure which is a whole unified whole that affect each other in

forming balance, stability, and productivity, then the Hydrological Unity of Peat (KHG) is a peat ecosystem

located between two rivers, between rivers and seas, and / or on the swamp. The function of the Peat

Ecosystem is the function of the element of peat that serves to protect water availability, biodiversity

conservation, carbon storage of oxygen producers, climate balancing which is divided into protected

functions of peat ecosystem and peat ecosystem cultivation function. Riau Province has 59 Hydrological

Peat Unity (KHG) with total area of 5.004.727,47 ha, consisting of protected function 2,216,621,84 ha

(44,29%) and cultivation function 2,788,105,63 ha (55,71 %). Rapid development has put great pressure on

the preservation of the KHG. This research explains how the ongoing Hindu Hindu Policies on Unity

(KHG) Policy in Riau Province. This research uses qualitative method, the research result shows that the

policy on peat must be supported by all components of the nation and community participation so that there

will be disaster risk reduction of forest and land fire.

1 INTRODUCTION

Peat is a naturally occurring organic material of

improperly decomposed plant debris with thickness

of 50 (fifty) centimeters or more and accumulates in

swamp (Regulation of the Minister of Environment

and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia No. P.14 /

Menkhk / Setjen / Kum .1 / 2/2017, 9 February

2017, Article 1, paragraph 1). The peat ecosystem is

a set of elements of peat that constitute an integral

whole that affects each other in shaping its balance,

stability, and productivity (Ministry of Environment

and Forestry Regulation No. P.14 / Menlhk / Setjen /

Kum.1 / 2/2017, 9 February 2017, Article 1,

paragraph 2). The Hydrological Peat Unity (KHG) is

a Peat Ecosystem located between two rivers,

between rivers and seas, and / or on swamps

(Regulation of the Minister of Environment and

Forestry of the Republic Indonesia Number P.14 /

Menlhk / Setjen / Kum.1 / 2/2017, February 9, 2017,

Article 1, paragraph 3) The function of the Peat

Ecosystem is a function of the element of peat that

serves to protect water availability, biodiversity

conservation, oxygen, climate balance divided into

Protected functions of Peat Ecosystem and Peat

Ecosystem Culture function (Regulation of the

Minister of Environment and Forestry of the

Republic of Indonesia No. P.14 / Menkhk / Setjen /

Kum.1 / 2/2 017, 9 February 2017, Article 1,

paragraph 6).

Indonesia's peat forest area is known as one of

the countries that has the largest peatland forest in

the world. The area of peatland in Indonesia is

estimated to be 20.6 million hectares or about 10.8

percent of Indonesia's land area (Subajo, 1998;

Wibowo and Suyatno, 1998 in Wetlands

International-Indonesia Program (WI-IP), 2004).

Indonesia is a country that has the largest peat area

among tropical countries, this peatlands are spread

in Kalimantan, Sumatra and Papua (BB R & D

SDLP, 2008 in Agus and Subiksa, 2008). The WI-IP

report states that of the 5.7 million ha or 27.8% of

Indonesia's peatland area is found in Kalimantan.

The peat phenomenon that occurs in Riau Province

negatively impacts the environmental conditions

resulting from the management and utilization of

peat ecosystem areas that are out of control and

irresponsible. For example, forest fires and land that

occurred have an impact of smoke haze that hit Riau

and Sumatra region.

144

Yuliani, F.

Optimization Implementation of Suspendated Peoples Hydrology Policy (KHG) in Riau Province.

DOI: 10.5220/0009899200002480

In Proceedings of the International Conference on Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (ICNRSD 2018), pages 144-148

ISBN: 978-989-758-543-2

The occurrence of disasters in the form of smoke

haze that hit our country which impacts so great for

the environment both in terms of health, economy,

and so on did not escape the factors that influence it

especially in terms of management and utilization of

the peatland. The smoke haze occurring on the

island of Sumatra, especially in Riau, Jambi and

South Sumatra provinces has resulted in the effects

of extraordinary losses, and other parts of Indonesia

have begun to show similar conditions, even though

the government has not set this critical situation as a

national disaster.

2 LITERATURE

To see a policy, it depends on the implementation of

the policy itself. Implementation concerning the

action of how far the direction has been programmed

it is really satisfactory. Finally at the highest

abstraction level of implementation as a result there

are some measurable changes in the big problems

the program aims.

Mileti and Gottschlich (2001) argue that disaster

losses are the result of interactions of natural

physical processes, social characteristics of

population, and environmental conditions built. The

characteristic differences of these three systems

result in different losses in different natural

disasters. In more depth, the research reveals about

community mitigation strategies in dealing with land

and forest fire disasters.

The paradigm in the concept of disaster

management is growing, from a technocratic

approach to a disaster risk management approach.

This approach is the result of interrelationships of 3

components, hazard assessment, vulnerability

analysis, and enhancement of management capacity.

Changes in approaches in the disaster management

process are also done by switching the top-down

system to bottom-up. The community plays an

important role in disaster risk reduction in its region

(Yodmani, 2001).

Relatively extensive forest fires are caused by

the abundance of commonly flammable objects. The

type is distinguished on (1) ground fire (2) surface

fire (3) crown fire and Causes of Forest and Land

Fires in Indonesia are: Natural Factors and Human

Factors.

The complexity of peat ecosystems has an

impact on the dynamics of its management. There

are two variables that indicate the position of peat

policy in Indonesia, namely the value of

sustainability (Sustainable Value) and development

value (Indrarto, 2015). The discourse that

accompanies the current policy, inspired by past

experience that has brought Indonesia to the dark

point of peat management, in which, finally, the

Government issued Government Regulation (PP) no.

71/2014 on Peat Ecosystem Protection and

Management (PPEG) considered by many to be a

progressive policy towards conservation orientation.

Not only until there, the government then revised

this PP with PP. 57 of 2016 and issued its derivative

regulation, namely PERMENLHK No. 14/2017,

15/2017, 16/2017, 17/2017, and KEPMENLHK no.

129/2017 and 130/2017.

The Hydrological Unity of Peatlands (KHG) is

the foundation of the protection and management

unit of the peat ecosystem. The complexity of

activities in KHG such as industrial timber estates

(HTI), oil palm plantations, settlements,

infrastructure, etc. are the biggest challenges in

implementing this policy, which was built already

leads to contestation between the function of

protection and cultivation function. The stakeholders

certainly have a vital role.

3 RESEARCH METHODS

This research type is qualitative with explorative

method This research activity will use two data

source, that is primary data that is data obtained

directly from field, and secondary data that is data

obtained through study of documents from various

sources relevant in this activity. Primary data will be

obtained through Focus Group Discussion (FGD) in

research areas, Observation on perceptions and

behaviors, and interviews using questionnaires. The

secondary data of this study are research reports,

journals, annual reports, evaluation reports,

regulatory and legislative documents, minutes of

meetings and other relevant documents.

4 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Riau Province has 59 Hydrological Peat Unity

(KHG) with total area of 5.004.727,47 ha, consisting

of protected function 2,216,621,84 ha (44,29%) and

cultivation function 2,788,105,63 ha (55,71 %).

Rapid development has placed considerable pressure

on the conservation of the KHG, at least 5% / year

of deforestation has occurred in peatlands during the

period 2000-2010 (Miettinen et al, 2010),

accompanied by land and forest fires

Optimization Implementation of Suspendated Peoples Hydrology Policy (KHG) in Riau Province

145

(Kusumaningtyas & Aldrian , 2016) and CO

emissions (Husnain et al, 2014). The consequences

of this development process must be minimized

through a comprehensive and objective joint effort,

oriented towards the consistency of the frame of

mind and action.

The area of tropical peatlands (swamps and

forests) is estimated at about 42 million hectares

spread across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Amazon and

Central Africa lowlands (Osaki & Tsuji, 2016). This

area stores about 148 Gt of carbon. This area is still

relatively untouched development and the forest is

still relatively virgin. The region of Southeast Asia

has about 24, 78 million ha or 56% of the world's

peatland. Indonesia has 14.91 million ha of

peatlands or 35.5% of the world's peatland (Osaki et

al., 2016) spread over Sumatra at 6.44 million ha

(43%), Kalimantan 4.78 million ha (32%) , and in

Papua 3.69 million ha (25%). While Riau has

4,221,000 ha of peatland (Budi Wardhana, 2016) or

28.31% of the total peat area of Indonesia or about

65.54% of the peat area in Sumatra. The extent of 59

KHG of Riau Province reached 5.004.727, 47 ha

(Final Report of RPPEG, 2016), consisting of

protected function 2,216,621,84 ha (44.29%) and

cultivation function 2,788,105,63 ha (55,71% ).

In 2007, Riau's peatlands were only 1,603,008

hectares of 2,280,198 ha in 2002 (Okto Yugo Setiyo

et al, 2016). This means that in the period of 5 years,

Riau has lost peatland area of 677,190 ha or about

19% with an average loss of 135,438 hectares per

year. Of the remaining area, the National Peat

Restoration Agency (BRG) has set 938,619 ha as

Riau Peat restoration 2016-2020 (Budi Wardhana,

2016). What kind of road map and action plan detail

Riau peat restoration no information or data that can

be accessed. While at the central level, the

Indonesian Peat Restoration Agency (BRG, without

years) has targeted 2 million hectares of peatlands to

be targeted for restoration over the next five years

(2016-2020) with targeted achievements of 30%

(2016), 20% (2017 ), 20% (2018), and 10% (2020).

In the national peat restoration program's road

map, Riau is one of 7 priority provinces of

restotation programs other than Jambi, South

Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan,

South Kalimantan and Papua. If the ambition of

BRG RI becomes a reality, then this effort is the

largest peat restoration program in the world

(JLIFAD, 2016) To support the action plan, the

support of academic research on Riau's

comprehensive peat ecosystem is a necessity for the

successful implementation of the restoration action

plan Riau peat, from the stage: the formulation of

policy, implementation process, and evaluation of

program impact measurable.

The success of degraded peatland restoration

should be based on scientific knowledge, relevant to

socioeconomic conditions, and local community

engagement (Page et al., 2009). This analysis is

intended to provide an overview of the extent to

which academic research on Riau's peat ecosystems

has been carried out in almost three decades (1989-

2017). The descriptive contents analysis used in this

literature study focuses on obtaining a description

of: 1) research institutes, 2) research sites, and 3)

variables or research parameters. The results of this

analysis can be given a little contribution to the

reinforcement of academic research Riau peatland

ecosystem to support the success of Riau peat land

restoration program. The following data on Area of

Hydrological Unity in Riau Province as follows:

Table 1: Unique hydrology units in the province of Riau

o Existence Lar

e (HA) %

1 In the fores

area 3.287.676 64,48

2 Outside the fores

area 1.810.857 35,52

Total 5.098.533 100,00

ature Reserve /

ature Conservation /

ew Par

Area 231.690 7,05

2 Protected Fores

31.117 0,95

3 Limited Production Fores

535.233 16,28

4 Permanen

Production Fores

1.773.811 53,95

5 Convertible Production Forests 715.824 21,77

Total 3.287.676 100,00

Wide unity of peat hydrology : +5.098.533 Ha (56,42%) of riau land area, spread over 59 groups in 11 districts of the city

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Actions that have been undertaken include:

establishment of institutional peatland managers at

the site level, by (a) Optimizing the role and

institutional function of the Peat Restoration Team

(b) Establishment of UPT Peat (c) Optimizing UPT

Unity of Forest Management (KPH)

All the action is done with the wetting movement

(rewetting), done through: Development of artesian

drilling well, Construction of channel canal,

Supervision of water management (at company),

Establishment and Training of KHG Water

Management Team. Revegetation Movement, done

through: Making of peatland village seedlings,

Making crops of peatland villages, Making

horticultural seeds, Preparing crops from

horticultural crops.

Social Revitalization Movement of Community

Economy, Development of fishery business,

Development of cattle breeding business, goat,

Honey bee development, Peatland ecotourism

development, Development of demplot gelam,

Cultivation of Plant Life, Utilization and processing

of sago pulp, Mangrove Crab cultivation,

Sustainable Food, Establishment of Peat Concern

Village.

The Brg program in Riau Province in 2017 is

carried out by: Construction of 550 Drilling Wells,

830 Units of Canal Construction, Facilitation of

Secretariat of Peat Restoration Team (TRGD),

Establishment of Peat Concern Village, RREG

Preparation, Procurement of Fire Extinguishers,

Infrastructure Development, Peat Wetting,

Revegetation, Economic Revitalization, Preparation

of SID and DED Infrastructure Wetting Peat,

Development of Technical Capacity of Village

Communities.

The Peat Restoration Program in Riau Province

includes: (1) water management/ management in

peatlands in accordance with government regulation

no. (3) rehabilitation and reforestation in 2015

(158,531 ha) (3) reorganization of the utilization of

peatlands according to their function (eg, 4)

increasing public awareness of sustainable peat

management (5) law enforcement of forest

encroachment on peatland (6) new moratorium on

clearing or peatland clearing.

5 CONCLUSIONS

This peatland restoration program should continue to

be implemented in accordance with its achievement

targets for all priority areas throughout Indonesia

and not just a pilot project by a handful of interests.

As an important role-playing implementer, the

Agency for the Restoration of Peatlands (BRG)

should be more coordinated to the local government,

since the regional government other than owning the

territory also has the authority. For the restoration

program in Tebing Tinggi Timur sub-district,

especially Sungai Tohor Village, it is expected to be

improved not only to focus on the development of

channel canals only, and expanded cooperation to

the stakeholders so that the restoration program will

reach its destination until 2020.

In implementing this peatland restoration

program, there are certainly factors that influence it,

both in terms of positive and negative, therefore the

conceptualization must be clear, the emphasis of

strategy and coordination must also be clear in order

to create a good cooperation for the realization of

peat restoration that sustainable to prevent forest and

land fires.

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