Lecture : Research Method Lecturer : Leksono P.

S Student : Ahmad Medapri H/ DD9 MPKD

THE IMPACT OF PALM OIL PLANTATION TO THE EXISTENCE OF LIMITED PRODUCTION FOREST Case Study : Limited Production Forest Area in Muko-Muko Regency

Background of Research : Major economy in the Bengkulu Province on the island of Sumatra comes from the plantation sector such as coffee, rubber and palm oil. One major area of oil palm plantations in particular, located in the Mukomuko Regency in the northern of Bengkulu Province. These oil palm plantations are owned by the public as well as plantation companies. Although useful in economics, development of plantations also gives an influence on the existence of forests, in particular, limited production forest. Every year there are change functions of forests into oil palm plantations. Under the regulations of the Minister of Forestry, Right of Cultivate is the right to use land that directly controlled by the state. This is granted for a maximum of 20,000 hectares of the province for 35 years and can be extended for 25 years. Currently in Bengkulu Province, there are 16 of 50 Right of Cultivate in neglected condition, with area about 3000 hectares. The problem is, most of these Rrights of Cultivate are granted in the areas that included in the category of limited production forest. Limited Production Forest is an area that can only be exploited by selective logging (Law Number 41 of 1999). Deforestation and forest degradation can cause biodiversity to decline, Release of greenhouse gas emissions, Disrupted water cycles, Increased soil erosion, Disrupted livelihoods (WWF). As a result, the existence of limited production forest to be disrupted due to changes in its function. In 2010, Bengkulu Province has 435,116 hectares plantation area mostly for Palm Oil Plantation in the area of Limited Production Forest. This research aims to determine what the impact caused by the change of the forest of limited production forest to oil palm plantations. Also to determine the various alternatives

that can be done to reduce these negative impacts. Right of Cultivate not only provides an opportunity to change the function of the forest but also cause a variety of social and environmental issues.

Problem Statement : The development of oil palm plantations in Muko-Muko Regency has had effect on the existence of limited production forest. When the Limited Production Forest Area converted to plantations or agricultural land, it will affects the environment and social life of society.

Research Objectives : In this research, the research objectives that would be achieved are : 1. To know how the development of palm oil plantations in Mukomuko Regency. 2. To know how the existence of limited production forest area in Mukomuko Regency. 3. To find the impacts of the development of palm oil plantations on the Limited Production Forest. 4. To know what should be done to protect the existence of limited production forest in Mukomuko Regency.

Literature Review : 1. Palm Oil Plantation 1.1 Plantation A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption. Industrial plantations are established to produce a high volume of wood in a short period of time. Industrial plantations are actively managed for the commercial production of forest products. Industrial plantations are usually large-scale. Individual blocks are usually even-aged and often consist of just one or two species.

These species can be exotic or indigenous. The plants used for the plantation are often genetically altered for desired traits such as growth and resistance to pests and diseases in general and specific traits, for example in the case of timber species, volumic wood production and stem straightness. Forest genetic resources are the basis for genetic alteration. Selected individuals grown in seed orchards are a good source for seeds to develop adequate planting material. Wood production on a tree plantation is generally higher than that of natural forests. While forests managed for wood production commonly yield between 1 and 3 cubic meters per hectare per year, plantations of fast-growing species commonly yield between 20 and 30 cubic meters or more per hectare annually; a Grand Fir plantation at Craigvinean in Scotland has a growth rate of 34 cubic meters per hectare per year (Aldhous & Low, 1974), and Monterey Pine plantations in southern Australia can yield up to 40 cubic meters per hectare per year (Everard & Fourt, 1974). In 2000, while plantations accounted for 5% of global forest, it is estimated that they supplied about 35% of the world's roundwood ("Forest loss". United Nations System-wide Earthwatch. United Nations Environment Programme, 2010). 1.2 Palm Oil Palm oil is extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the oil palm (Reeves, James B.; Weihrauch, John L.; Consumer and Food Economics Institute, 1979). Palm oil is naturally reddish in color because it contains a high amount of beta-carotene. It is a common cooking ingredient in the tropical belt of Africa, Southeast Asia and parts of Brazil. As of 2009, Indonesia was the largest producer of palm oil, surpassing Malaysia in 2006, producing more than 20.9 million tonnes. Indonesia aspires to become the world's top producer of palm oil (Indonesia: Palm Oil Production Prospects Continue to Grow, December 31, 2007, USDA-FAS, Office of Global Analysis) But at the end of 2010, 60 percent of the output was exported still in the form of Crude Palm Oil. FAO data show production increased by over 400% between 19942004, to over 8.66 million metric tonnes.

2.

Deforestation Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use (SAFnet Dictionary/Definition For deforestation: Dictionaryofforestry.org, 2008-07-29). Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use. Deforestation occurs for many reasons: trees or derived charcoal are used as, or sold, for fuel or as timber, while cleared land is used as pasture for livestock, plantations of commodities, and settlements. The removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in damage to habitat, biodiversity loss and aridity. It has adverse impacts on biosequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Deforestation in Indonesia has been a massive environmental impact on the country, home to some of the most biologically diverse forests in the world, ranking third behind Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo. As late as 1900, Indonesia was still a densely forested country with the total forest representing 84 per cent of the total land area. Deforestation intensified in the 1970s (ABC Four Corners: Background information on Indonesia, deforestation and illegal logging, Retrieved 28 May 2010) and continuously accelerated since then. As a result, the estimated forest cover of 170 million ha around 1900 decreased to 98 million ha by the end of the 20th century, at least half of which is believed to be degraded by human activity. At present rates, tropical rainforests in Indonesia would be logged out in 10 years. Indonesias lowland tropical forests, the richest in timber resources and biodiversity, are most at risk. By 2000 they have been almost entirely cleared in Sulawesi, and predicted to disappear within few years in Sumatra and Kalimantan (Matthews, Emilly : 'The State of Forests Indonesia, Bogor 2002). In Sumatra tens of thousands of square kilometres of forest have been cleared often under the command of the central government who comply with multi national companies to remove the forest (BBC News : Losing land to palm oil in Kalimantan,, 3 August 2007).

3. The Impact of the palm oil plantation Palm oil producers have been accused of various human-rights violations, from low pay and poor working conditions to theft of land and murder. However, some social initiatives use palm oil profits to finance poverty alleviation strategies. Palm oil production has been documented as a cause of substantial and often irreversible damage to the natural environment (Clay Jason, World Agriculture and the Environment, 2004) Its impacts include: habitat loss of critically endangered species such as the Orangutan and Sumatran Tiger, and a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The negative impact on the environment becomes more serious because in practice, oil palm plantation development not only in forest conversion, but also built on a production forest, protected forest, and even in conservation areas which have a unique ecosystem and has a high biodiversity value (Manurung, 2000; Potter and Lee, 1998).

Research Methodology : Field research This method related to the effort of collecting data and also discussion and interviews with stakeholders regional authorities and residents around the plantation. Those data are Spatial Regulation, Forestry Regulation, region income, Statutes, the result of interview and other related data. Librarian research In order to have the real ovarview about the research theme, the librarian research will help to construct theoritical base as the guide-line to come to thesis statement and conclution. Variables for instances : National environment strategies, National forestry strategies, environmental impact assessment guidelines, sector development plans Regulation and standards (conservation laws, forestryr laws, environment laws, land use)

Natural resources data forestry, hydrology, nature conservation, climate/air, soils and water resources.

Time Series Analysis This analysis is needed to show and prove the correlation between dependent variables and independent variables by using statistical tools of analysis. It also will help to analize the variation of data, the trend and tendencies. some data to be analyzed are: the development of oil palm plantation area, limited production forest area, the level of the economy in the last 10 years, the production of palm oil, etc.