Eduvest – Journal of Universal Studies
Volume 2 Number 2, February 2022
261 http://eduvest.greenvest.co.id
researchers, using various approaches and considerations, including environmental
(biophysical), socio-economic and policy factors. Jaya et al. (2007) modeled fires using
variations in local climate patterns (rainfall), vegetation (land cover, biomass density, and
humidity), land use and related factors such as distance from rivers, roads and
settlements. Saito et al. (2002) assessed the relationship between hotspots and road/river
accessibility as an important factor in mapping fire risk maps. The occurrence of forest
and land fires is triggered by various factors, both natural and human factors. Natural
factors that often trigger forest and land fires are extreme climatic conditions, such as a
prolonged dry season due to the El Nino phenomenon. Based on the research of Saharjo
and Husaeni (1998), forest and land fires in Indonesia are thought to be caused by the
influence of human activities rather than natural factors. However, a quantitative analysis
is needed that explains the relationship and the role of each factor that significantly
influences the occurrence of forest and land fires. Different environmental characteristics
in each region lead to the need for research that can be a reference in effective and
efficient fire control in Riau Province.
The area of peatland in Indonesia is estimated at 20.6 million ha and 4.1 million
ha in Riau Province. Utilization of peatland for plantations reaches 817,593 ha of the total
plantation area of 2.6 million ha. While the area of peat land in Bengkalis Regency
reaches 856,386 ha with a plantation area of 102,858.5 ha (Dinas Perkebunan Riau
Province 2009). The conversion of forest land into oil palm plantations in the peat swamp
ecosystem is the dominant factor causing peatland degradation (Riwandi 2003). Land
clearing activities that do not pay attention to environmental biophysical characteristics
have caused peatlands to degrade and become abandoned lands (Noorginayuwati et al.
1997; Sutikno et al. 1998 referred to in Noor 2001). Oil palm development on peatlands is
also faced with the problem of potential CO2 emissions as a greenhouse gas (GHG)
(Hooijer et al. 2006), and the loss of biodiversity (Noor 2001; Riwandi 2003). Land
clearing in peat swamp forest into oil palm plantations in a 25 year cropping cycle is
estimated to produce an average net CO2 emission of 41 tonnes ha-1 year-1 (Agus et al.
2009). In the 1990–2007 period, the total CO2 emissions resulting from forest
degradation, fires and peat decomposition in Riau reached 3.66 G tons of CO2 (WWF
2008). The use of peatlands for plantation business in Bengkalis Regency has not been
able to maintain the sustainability of the ecological functions of the ecosystem. This can
be seen from the degradation of peatlands that occur such as land subsidence and dry
events that do not return. This condition causes land fires in the dry season and floods in
the rainy season. The agroecology of oil palm plantations is a very complex and dynamic
system. System dynamics are formed from various interactions between vegetation,
nutrient cycles and hydrology (Meiling & Goh 2008). Oil palm plantations on peatlands
are expected to apply the ecological principles of the area based on the optimization and
conservation of resources.
It is undeniable that the conversion and utilization of HRG for agricultural,
plantation and forestry cultivation provides economic benefits, among others in the form
of employment and increasing production in the agricultural sector. These benefits are
recorded in the GDP. However, in addition to the economic benefits that can be achieved,
on the other hand, environmental benefits have been sacrificed or known as negative
externalities. Unfortunately, the public does not know the value of these externalities,
because the loss of these benefits is not recorded in GRDP.
The role of HRG in producing various types of goods such as plantations is
recorded in the conventional economic indicators (GRDP), while the value of the benefits
of environmental services, which include waste neutralizer, carbon dioxide absorber, and