Palm-oil plantations threaten Coastal Peat Swamp Forest

摘要

The value of the Tripa coastal peat swamp forest ecosystem in Aceh, Indonesia is currently being destroyed for palm-oil plantations. The Tripa peat swamp forest covers an area of 61,803 hectares on the West coast of the province of Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia (Figure 1). Tripa is an essential freshwater reservoir and provides important fish breeding grounds. Fresh fish is a major part of the diet and the main source of protein for local people (Figure 2). Tripa also supplies timber for construction and firewood (Figure 3), and non-timber forest products such as honey and medicinal plants. The Tripa peat swamp provides optimal climatic conditions for cultivation of oil palm on adjacent, surrounding mineral soils. In fact, some of the highest palm oil yields are recorded from this very region.