Asia Pacific Resources International Ltd (APRIL) is operating an integrated Pulp & Paper Mill with a 2 million-ton pulp production and 300,000 ton paper, supported by raw material from 330,000 ha of own concessions for industrial plantations in Riau province on Sumatra.

There is a high pressure on land in Riau from a dense population and large-scale agriculture development. Pulpwood plantation is one priority land use and our operation generates direct and indirect employment opportunities for 100,000 people. To empower the villages within and in connection to our operations we have a comprehensive community development program with integrated farming, small-scale enterprise establishment and general development. All this is thanks to profiting from a very suitable climate for pulp wood plantations. However there are still problems that must be solved, such as illegal logging, traditional land distribution and protection of high conservation value forests as well as the very high pressure on land from a growing rural population.

One important source of land on Sumatra and especially in Riau province is peat soil. More than 50% of Riau's landmass consists of peat soil often of high hydrological and ecological values. However much of it is already partly degraded due to over logging and agriculture infringement. To be able to protect areas not yet destroyed or less disturbed it is necessary to establish a protection scheme with careful development of buffers between agriculture areas and protected areas. Such buffer can consist of plantation particular developed with care and consideration to hydrological issues. APRIL has developed a system of canals and locks to keep the water balance of both the actual converted area and any surrounding higher land, and by that prevent drainage of the high peat and minimize peat subsidence. This will also make it possible to control the eventual movement of illegal logs from the protected areas. The extraction of wood from the plantation is through this canal system that runs along the contour with water locks between the levels and no direct connection to natural waterways. Within the converted area there are also extensive natural buffers towards the natural waterways as well as buffers and corridors for the wildlife between protected areas.

This development will serve as a way to preserve the values of the peat and at the same time utilize the potential production for valuable products. Without the combined effort from the industry and the province planning authorities many of the areas would be destroyed by unauthorized encroachment from the surrounding villages and uncontrolled logging activities. The canal system makes it possible to control the illegal log transport and through cooperation between villagers and the industry local can benefit from plantation employment and part of the converted peatland is available for sustainable agriculture crops. This could have not been done without the industry putting in the capital for the water management infrastructure.