PARTNER NO. 10 TASK ACHIEVEMENTS, PROBLEMS AND FUTURE PLANS

Brussels 7 Apr 2003

PARTNER NO. 10

TASK ACHIEVEMENTS, PROBLEMS

AND FUTURE PLANS

Brussels 7 Apr 2003

PROBLEMS

• Team members - turnover of researchers

• Consent: Peat Research Coordination Committee (SPU)

• Cooperation: Peat Research Technical Committee (DoA)

• Budget constraint: Change of experimental design

• Instrumentation: Outsourcing

Brussels 7 Apr 2003

• Knowledge gaps: Murtedza Mohamed, E. Padmanabhan, Y. L. Tie, B. L. H. Mei and W. B. Siong. 2002. The peat soils of sarawak- Existing knowledge and information gaps. Paper presented at the STRAPEAT Meeting & Site Visit, Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, 30 & 31 March 2002.

Consolidated through discussion in SIBU on 4 Apr 2002 - Completed

• Review of Impact Assessment Reports: T. W. Ping and Murtedza Mohamed. 2002. An assessment of the environmental impacts of peatland development in Sarawak. A draft paper prepared for presented at the Malaysian Chemical Congress 2002, 12 – 13 December 2002, Kuching,

Sarawak - Completed

ACHIEVEMENTS

Brussels 7 Apr 2003

Peatlands in Sarawak

Brussels 7 Apr 2003

Agriculture and Forest Plantations

Brussels 7 Apr 2003

• Study on the chronological influence of water table on the oxidation of peat/organic soils - ongoing.

• Socio-economic study (Samarahan, Kalaka-Saribas, Mukah) - ongoing

• Comparative study of cost of agriculture development on peat and mineral soils - ongoing

Achievements - cont’d

Brussels 7 Apr 2003

Soil Organic Matter

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20.00

40.00

60.00

80.00

100.00

0 20 40 60 80 100

Depths (cm)

(%)

0cm

30cm

60cm

90cm

Mixed Soil

IOS: A

IOS: B

IOS: C

Brussels 7 Apr 2003

The main concerns highlighted by the respondents generally revolve around the issues of lacking employment opportunities in the villages, low income generating activities, low production in subsistence and cash crops, shortage of labor due to out-migration of youths, and inefficient infrastructure facilities. Main implications perceived as directly related to commercial scale plantation on peat lands are:• People are becoming less dependent on jungle products such as

rattan and wood as source of income. Much of the present extractions activities are for own use.

• Absence of large games (such as deers); hence hunting is no longer an important activity.

• Respondents do not associate any health-related problems with the cultivation of the peat lands, and health services are now more accessible

Brussels 7 Apr 2003

FUTURE PLANS

• Continuation of the three studies

• Updating of land use (agriculture and forest plantation) data/maps

Peat area developed for agriculture:Hamzah (1999): 298 000 haMelling (1999): 555 000 haDrainability study by DOA (based on 1:1200 criteria) gave total drainable and fairly drainable peat area in Sarawak is ca. 500 000 ha.

• Guidelines for Impact Assessment of Development on Peatlands