Sustainable Peatland Management in Sustainable Tree Plantations

Source: Canva (Image for illustrative purposes only)

Beneath the deceptively quiet surface of a peatland landscape lies a silent battle between water and fire that decides the fate of the entire ecosystem above it. Over-drain it, and peat transforms into highly combustible tinder. Keep it too wet, and plantation crops fail to thrive.

Finding the exact equilibrium between both extremes is the core of sustainable peatland management. Crucially, there are precise hydrological metrics behind this delicate balance that remain lesser known.

West Kalimantan, home to extensive managed concessions, is dominated by peat soils. For PT Mayawana Persada, which manages sustainable tree plantations across Ketapang and North Kayong Regencies, sustainable peat management is far from theoretical discourse. It represents daily operational practice driven by measurement, constant monitoring, and swift field-level interventions.

Why Water Management Is the Keystone of Peat Sustainability

Sustainable peatland management begins with an apparently simple yet decisive metric: groundwater table depth. Agus Trijoko, Environment Assistant Head at PT Mayawana Persada, explains that maintaining the water table is the foundational step in preserving peat ecosystem equilibrium. Excessive saturation impairs root health, while over-drying sharply escalates fire hazards.

To balance both priorities, an internal groundwater table standard of approximately 40 cm has been established—stricter than the government regulatory baseline of 60 to 80 cm. This threshold keeps the soil moist without hindering crop development.

• Internal Company Threshold: ±40 cm
• Government Regulatory Window: 60–80 cm

Daily Monitoring: The Frontline Defense Against Wildfires

Setting rigorous thresholds is meaningless without systematic enforcement. Daily groundwater table measurements are conducted as part of routine peat stewardship. During dry spells, all canal control gates are closed to lock in stored water reserves. If monitoring indicates a receding table, water retention structures are adjusted immediately.

This diligence is paramount because peat fires behave fundamentally differently from mineral soil blazes. Peat combustion moves sub-surface, making early visual detection exceptionally challenging and containment highly complex. Maintaining steady peat moisture is therefore recognized as the most effective preventative measure—neutralizing fire risks well before flames break the surface.

Science-Based Revegetation: From Nursery to Planting Point

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Sustainable peatland stewardship does not stop at hydrological engineering; it advances in tandem with targeted revegetation. Priority rehabilitation compartments are determined via official peat restoration documents, primarily focusing on areas with low vegetation cover. Planting schedules prioritize native, endemic tree species with proven adaptability to acidic peat swamp hydrology.

Charia Salasari, Sustainability Assistant, highlights that all planting workflows follow standard operating procedures referenced in the peat restoration blueprint, complete with geo-referenced planting coordinates, monitoring plots, and structured reporting mechanisms.

On the ground, revegetation follows a 5×5-meter spacing pattern. Seedlings are cultivated in dedicated restoration nurseries built directly within the natural forest landscape—distinct from commercial production nurseries—to ensure young plants acclimate to microclimatic conditions before field planting.

Periodic Monitoring and Survival Metrics

Field operations continue long after seedlings are planted. Every six months, field teams conduct post-planting evaluations, measuring plant height and stem diameter as key benchmarks of vegetative vigor. Seedlings that fail to take root are promptly replaced (infilling) to meet landscape restoration targets.

According to Agus, the revegetation survival rate currently stands at approximately 80%. Plant loss is primarily attributed to transplant stress after moving from nursery beds to open ground. To mitigate this, seedlings now undergo an extended hardening-off period in forest conditions before field planting.

Expanding Conservation Footprints for Peat Ecosystem Resilience

To reinforce long-term peat sustainability, PT Mayawana Persada is planning a substantial expansion of its conservation zones. Designated conservation areas are projected to increase from 37,000 hectares to 71,000 hectares, an expansion currently being integrated into the revision of the 10-Year Forest Work Plan (RKU). Muharjan, Sustainability Assistant Head, explains that this strategic expansion reflects the company's commitment to continuous landscape improvement, fully aligned with national conservation directives and long-term sustainability pledges.

This commitment is complemented by multi-stakeholder Working Groups comprising government bodies, partner enterprises, and civil society. These forums focus on safeguarding contiguous biosphere reserve corridors, strengthening landscape-scale governance, and running collaborative wildfire prevention programs.

Peatland Management Is an Ongoing Commitment

Ultimately, sustainable peatland management is not confined to a single planting season. It is an unbroken process unifying hydrological engineering, science-based revegetation, and systematic monitoring. From maintaining groundwater standards that exceed regulatory minimums to conducting daily field checks and expanding conservation reserves, every operational action serves one overarching objective: ensuring living peat swamp forests endure for generations to come.

Want to understand how sustainability informs every layer of our operations? Read our guide on responsible timber harvesting to discover how identical principles govern commercial logging and conservation zoning.