Authors:
Mark E. Harrison, Bernat Ripoll Capilla, Sara A. Thornton, Megan E. Cattau and Susan E. Page
Book:
Proceedings of the 15th International Peat Congress
Venue:
Kuching
Keywords:
biodiversity, fire, indonesia, orangutan, peat-swamp-forest
Documentfile:
ipc16p713-717a040harrison.ripoll.etal_.pdf
Summary:
SUMMARY
Southeast Asia’s tropical peat-swamp forests (PSFs) are important for biodiversity conservation, but decades of peat mis-management, illegal logging and largely unrestricted agricultural development in Kalimantan has led to peat drainage in most areas and consequent fire vulnerability. This was highlighted in 2015, when a strong El Niño event led to extensive peatland fires, which reached their peak during August to October 2015. Thousands of square kilometres of peatland were burned, including fires in/around such important PSFs as Sabangau, Mawas, Katingan and Tanjung Puting. We consider the potential impacts of these fires on Kalimantan’s biodiversity. The huge…