Catastrophe and Regeneration in Indonesia's Peatlands: Ecology, Economy and Society [Paperback]

The serious degradation of the vast peatlands of Indonesia since the 1990s is the proximate cause of the haze that endangers public health in Indonesian Sumatra and Borneo, and also in neighbouring Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Moreover peatlands that have been drained and cleared for plantations are a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.


        This new book explains the degradation of peat soils and outlines a potential course of action to deal with the catastrophe looming over the region. Concerted action will be required to reduce peatland fires, and a successful policy needs to enhance social welfare and economic survival, support natural conservation and provide a return on investment if there is to be a sustainable society in the peatlands.


        This book argues that regeneration is possible through a new policy of people’s forestry that includes reforestation and rewetting peat soils. The data come from a major long-term research effort—the humanosphere project—that coordinates work done by researchers from the physical, natural and human or social sciences.

Kosuke Mizunois professor andMotoko S. Fujita is a researcher, both at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University.Shuichi Kawai is professor at the Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University.
 

“Sixteen papers reappraise the history and ecosystems of tropical Southeast Asia and the local knowledge and initiatives of the local people, focusing on the damage done to the peat swamps in Sumatra, and analyze the state of deforestation and environmental degradation as part of the regeneration of tropical biomass societies and a sustainable humanosphere.”

“For those seeking to learn more about the environmental, economic, and social significance of oil palm production lã