Site Nomination for Peat Site Profiles in Southeast Asia
Category:
High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF)
Name of Site: Kampar Peninsula
Country: Indonesia
GPS Point: Latitude: 0° 10’ and 1° 14’ Longitude: 101° 50’ and 103° 07’
Location & Access: Kampar peninsula located in the eastern of Riau Province.
No road access except for the access road company (Pulp and Paper). And can be reached by river transportation.

Total Area: 700000.00 hectare(s)
Background of Site: Kampar peninsula has a high biodiversity typical peat swamp forest. An area of ??700 000 ha or 17% of the total ??peatland area in Riau. This area includes the Peat Swamp Forest with two domes of peat depth over 20 meters, four protected areas: Game Reserve (Suaka Margasatwa) Danau Pulau Besar, Tasik Belat, Tasik Metas, and Tasik Serkap.

Since the year 1996 to 2007 Kampar peninsula area has lost 239.517 ha (35.09%) of its natural forests. And for 7 years, the growth of acacia forest cover has changed, and a threat to stability in the landscape.
Significant Value of Site:
- Biodiversity
- Hydrology
- Soil/Carbon
- Cultural & Historical Value
- Socio-economic

Notes:
Kampar peninsula is an area with very high levels of biodiversity, few studies have been done, find some types of trees and animals are protected in this area. Biodiversity in the peat swamp ecosystem characterized some commercial trees, such as: Ramin (Gonystilus bancanus), Meranti (Shorea spp), Kempas (Kompassia malacensis), Punak (Tetramerista glabra), Terentang (Camnosperma coriaceae), Bintangur (Calophyllum soulatri), Pulai (Alstonia pneumatophora), Rengas (Melanorhoeae sp) and Bengku (Ganua montleyana)
Designated use (status/legal classification):
- HCVF


Notes:
Until 2002, it was still fully covered by natural forest, but only around 400,000 of that remained in 2007. Most of the lost forest was cleared to supply natural forest wood to mills run by APP and its competitor, Asia Pacific Resources International Holding (APRIL), and then planted in acacia plantations to supply the pulp mills. A small part has been converted into oil palm plantations or wastelands.
Major Issues: The main threat in Peat Swamp Forest in Kampar peninsula area is the stability of the peat swamp hydrology caused by:
Conversion of natural forests,
Illegal Logging,
Land fires,
Making Canal and road (corridor) by the forestry companies and
Hunting wildlife (protected).

If the stability of the hydrology has been disturbed under the water table continues to dry peat, it will be stimulated other threats such as peat fires, loss of biodiversity, the loss of livelihoods as fishing and agriculture. In case of fire it will be the release of carbon into the air thereby affecting the "global warming".
Site Jurisdiction & Administration: Administratively, the Kampar peninsula is located between the two districts namely Siak (38%) and Pelalawan (62%) in Riau Province. And includes 28 villages (14 villages located in Siak district and 14 villages in Pelalawan)
Peatland Type: Lowland
Management activities: a) Past
Since the 1970s, the majority of the Peninsula has been
handed out as logging concessions (HPH) to a number of
companies which have cut canals through the peat to assist with
extracting felled timber. Much of the forests have been heavily
degraded by these operations, yet the area retains significant
biodiversity.

b) Current
More recently the government has begun granting concessions on the area of kampar peninsula for plantations of oil palm and acacia. A number
of small nature reserves (game reserve) have been established around the larger lakes in the centre of the Peninsula.

Some of the initiatives of community forest management in the Kampar Peninsula area through Village Forest has also been performed.

c) Potential
Community based forest management, collaborative management, natural forest laboratorium
Facilities & Activities Available on Site:
Institution Responsible for the Site:
Name of Organization: Ministry of Forestry Indonesia
Postal Address: Kementerian Kehutanan
Gedung Manggala Wanabakti Blok I Lt. 3
Jalan Gatot Subroto - Senayan - Jakarta - Indonesia - 10270
Phone: +62-21-5704501-04
Fax: +62-21-5730191
Website: http://www.dephut.go.id/
Nominated by:
Name: Hisam Setiawan
Organization: Mitra Insani Foundation