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David Gaveau, Douglas Sheil, Mohammad Salim, Husnayaen, Erik Meijaard
ASSOCIATION FOR TROPICAL BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
Montpellier, France 19-23 June 2016
FOUR DECADES OF FOREST DEGRADATION: FIRE AND OIL PALM
EXPANSION IN BORNEO
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Maritime Continent forms the largest rainy area on Earth, the largest generator and redistributor of water vapor into the Earth’s atmosphere.Some rain received by northern latitudes in distant locations comes fromthis region The third largest area of tropical rainforests in the world, enhancing rainfall, storing carbon, cooling Earth’s surface and providing habitat for wildlife
Precipitation reported by TRMM satellite, Spracklen et al. 2012
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Maritime Continent forms the largest rainy area on Earth, thelargest generator and redistributor of water vapor into the Earth’s atmosphere. The third largest area of tropical rainforests in the world, enhancing rainfall, storing carbon, cooling Earth’s surface and providing habitat for wildlife
Precipitation reported by TRMM satellite, Spracklen et al. 2012
BORNEO
DESPITE THE RAINFALL, MEGA FOREST FIRES REGULARLY OCCURRED IN THIS REGION
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In 2015, an El-Nino year, CO2 emitted by (mainly) land fires: 889 Tg 25% of emissions in 1997; equiv. 3 months of emissions by EU28Corresponding carbon emissions: 289 Tg Associated C02-eq: 1.2 Pg
Huijnen, Wooster, Kaiser. Gaveau et al.Scientific Reports2016
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1973
Created with Landsat MSSGaveau et al. PlosOne 2014
76% (55.8 Mha) of Borneoold-growth rainforest
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Gaveau et al. 2014
And the era of industrial-scale extractive industries began……………
197376% (55.8 Mha) of Borneoold-growth rainforest
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Gaveau et al. 2014
And the era of industrial-scale extractive industries began……………
First came selective loggingand the creation of road Networks in forest, >270,000 km
197376% (55.8 Mha) of Borneoold-growth rainforest
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Gaveau et al. 2014
And the era of industrial-scale extractive industries began……………
First selective logging
197376% (55.8 Mha) of Borneoold-growth rainforest
1970s: LOGGING
Intact forestsSelectively logged forests
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1980s: LOGGING, FIRE & PLANTATIONSIndus. Plantations (oilpalm&pulpwood)
Intact forests
Forests degraded by ENSO firesSelectively logged forests
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1990s: LOGGING, FIRE&PLANTATIONSIndus. Plantations (oilpalm&pulpwood)
Intact forests
Forests degraded by ENSO firesSelectively logged forests
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2000-2015: LOGGING, FIRE & PLANTATIONS
Gaveau et al. in review
Indus. Plantations (oilpalm&pulpwood)
Intact forests
Forests degraded by ENSO firesSelectively logged forests
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2000-2015: LOGGING, FIRE & PLANTATIONS
Gaveau et al. in review
Indus. Plantations (oilpalm&pulpwood)
Intact forests
Forests degraded by ENSO firesSelectively logged forests
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1990-2000: LOGGING, FIRE&PLANTATIONS
Gaveau et al. 2014
Indus. Plantations (oilpalm&pulpwood)
Intact forests
Forests degraded by ENSO firesSelectively logged forests
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1990-2000: LOGGING, FIRE&PLANTATIONS
Gaveau et al. 2014
3000 mm
Indus. Plantations (oilpalm&pulpwood)
Intact forests
Forests degraded by ENSO firesSelectively logged forests
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Gaveau et al. 2014
3000 mm
Annual Rainfall
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1973
Created with Landsat MSSGaveau et al. PlosOne 2014
76% (55.8 Mha) of Borneorainforest
3000 mm
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Gaveau et al. in review
3000 mm
201550% (37.3 Mha) rainforest remain
- 28% intact- 22% logged
18.6 Mha lost
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2000-2013: LOGGING, FIRE & PLANTATIONS7 Mha burned (shrubs)
1 Mha indus. Pulpwood
18.6 Mha deforested 1973-2015
6 Mha indus. Oil Palm
0.2 Mha Mining 0.1 Mha Hydro. Dam
4.4 Mha small&mid agri
37%
32%
5%
1% 0.5%
25%
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DEFORESTATION AND OIL PALM DEVELOPMENT
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DEFORESTATION AND OIL PALM DEVELOPMENT
Industrial oil palm expanded by 8 Mha since 1973, of which 6 Mha were old-growth forest in 1973
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DEFORESTATION AND OIL PALM DEVELOPMENT
New plantations can either replace natural forests or avoid deforestation by planting on previously cleared lands. The extent of these two situations is contested
• NGOs identify industrial oil-palm plantations as the main driver of deforestation on Borneo.
• Various industry and government representatives dispute that oil-palm plantations cause deforestation and highlight that plantations are a reasonable use of already deforested and degraded abandoned lands.
We now look at Indonesian and Malaysian Borneo, the two largest producers of oil Palm with >80% of global share.
Though locally present for centuries12, forest fires have become a large-scale cause of forest degradation and loss since the El Niño droughts of 19839,13,14. Once the forest has burned, the increased risk of subsequent fires leads many forests to cycles of repeated burns15. Such cycles have converted millions of hectares of old-growth and selectively logged forest to scrublands
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Area
in M
illio
n ha
(Mha
)
5
4
3
2
1
0
Indonesian Borneo
Malaysian Borneo
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Area
in M
illio
n ha
(Mha
)
5
4
3
2
1
0
Indonesian Borneo
Malaysian Borneo
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Area
in M
illio
n ha
(Mha
)
5
4
3
2
1
0
3.3 Mha
Indonesian Borneo
Malaysian Borneo
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Area
in M
illio
n ha
(Mha
)
5
4
3
2
1
0
Indonesian Borneo
Malaysian Borneo>15yr
>5yr>10yr1.5 M
ha
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Area
in M
illio
n ha
(Mha
)
5
4
3
2
1
0
Indonesian Borneo
Malaysian Borneo
>5yr>10yr
>15yr
>20yr
>5yr>10yr
>15yr
1.5 Mha
0.9 Mha
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Indonesian Borneo Malaysian Borneo3
2
1
00.5
1.5
2.5
Area
in M
illio
n ha
(Mha
)In Indonesian Borneo, a larger share of oil-palm plantations were developed on lands cleared before 1973 and on degraded lands (predominantly forests converted to scrublands by drought and recurrent burning)
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56% 54%
34% 36%
Indonesian Borneo Malaysian Borneo
17% 16%
28%
17%
33%23%
PROPORTION OF OIL PALM ESTABLISHED ON ALREADY CLEARED LANDS
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46% 43%
14%4%
Indonesian Borneo Malaysian Borneo
50%38%
57%51%
ROLE OF OIL PALM IN TOTAL DEFORESTATION
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CONCLUSIONThe oil-palm plantation industry is the principle driver of the loss of old-growth forest in Malaysian Borneo, as 50-52% of all deforestation over four decades was associated with rapid conversion (within five years of forest clearance) to industrial plantations.
In Indonesian Borneo, only 11–13% of all deforestation in Kalimantan was associated with rapid conversion to industrial oil palm as the majority of oil-palm plantations were developed on lands cleared before 1973 and on degraded lands (predominantly forests converted to scrublands by drought and recurrent burning
Though locally present for centuries12, forest fires have become a large-scale cause of forest degradation and loss since the El Niño droughts of 19839,13,14. Once the forest has burned, the increased risk of subsequent fires leads many forests to cycles of repeated burns15. Such cycles have converted millions of hectares of old-growth and selectively logged forest to scrublands
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CONCLUSION• Indonesian Borneo has experienced a steep
increase in rapid conversion to oil palm since 2005, and became the principle contributor of rapid net forest conversion by area with 1 Mha of old-growth and selectively logged forest lost to oil palm over the last 10 years.
• The recent oil palm expansion involves many land fires that emitted enormous amounts of smoke into the atmosphere and caused much damage to the health of local people.
• Locally present for centuries, forest fires have become the largest cause of forest loss in Borneo since the El Niño droughts of 1983. Forests felt cycles of repeated burns. Such cycles have converted 6.6 million hectares of old-growth and selectively logged forest to scrublands, mainly in Indonesian Borneo
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CONCLUSIONThough locally present for centuries, forest fires have become the largest cause of forest loss in Borneo since the El Niño droughts of 1983. Once the forest has burned, the increased risk of subsequent fires leads many forests to cycles of repeated burns. Such cycles have converted 6.6 million hectares of old-growth and selectively logged forest to scrublands, mainly in Indonesian Borneo, with some subsequent conversion to oil palm for some. Should remaining degraded lands be replanted with native vegetation or Plantations?Do deforestation and fires in Indonesia reduce rainfall over land ?
Though locally present for centuries12, forest fires have become a large-scale cause of forest degradation and loss since the El Niño droughts of 19839,13,14. Once the forest has burned, the increased risk of subsequent fires leads many forests to cycles of repeated burns15. Such cycles have converted millions of hectares of old-growth and selectively logged forest to scrublands
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