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

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

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

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

1973

Created with Landsat MSSGaveau et al. PlosOne 2014

76% (55.8 Mha) of Borneoold-growth rainforest

Gaveau et al. 2014

And the era of industrial-scale extractive industries began……………

197376% (55.8 Mha) of Borneoold-growth rainforest

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

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

1980s: LOGGING, FIRE & PLANTATIONSIndus. Plantations (oilpalm&pulpwood)

Intact forests

Forests degraded by ENSO firesSelectively logged forests

1990s: LOGGING, FIRE&PLANTATIONSIndus. Plantations (oilpalm&pulpwood)

Intact forests

Forests degraded by ENSO firesSelectively logged forests

2000-2015: LOGGING, FIRE & PLANTATIONS

Gaveau et al. in review

Indus. Plantations (oilpalm&pulpwood)

Intact forests

Forests degraded by ENSO firesSelectively logged forests

2000-2015: LOGGING, FIRE & PLANTATIONS

Gaveau et al. in review

Indus. Plantations (oilpalm&pulpwood)

Intact forests

Forests degraded by ENSO firesSelectively logged forests

1990-2000: LOGGING, FIRE&PLANTATIONS

Gaveau et al. 2014

Indus. Plantations (oilpalm&pulpwood)

Intact forests

Forests degraded by ENSO firesSelectively logged forests

1990-2000: LOGGING, FIRE&PLANTATIONS

Gaveau et al. 2014

3000 mm

Indus. Plantations (oilpalm&pulpwood)

Intact forests

Forests degraded by ENSO firesSelectively logged forests

Gaveau et al. 2014

3000 mm

Annual Rainfall

1973

Created with Landsat MSSGaveau et al. PlosOne 2014

76% (55.8 Mha) of Borneorainforest

3000 mm

Gaveau et al. in review

3000 mm

201550% (37.3 Mha) rainforest remain

- 28% intact- 22% logged

18.6 Mha lost

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%

DEFORESTATION AND OIL PALM DEVELOPMENT

DEFORESTATION AND OIL PALM DEVELOPMENT

Industrial oil palm expanded by 8 Mha since 1973, of which 6 Mha were old-growth forest in 1973

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

Area

in M

illio

n ha

(Mha

)

5

4

3

2

1

0

Indonesian Borneo

Malaysian Borneo

Area

in M

illio

n ha

(Mha

)

5

4

3

2

1

0

Indonesian Borneo

Malaysian Borneo

Area

in M

illio

n ha

(Mha

)

5

4

3

2

1

0

3.3 Mha

Indonesian Borneo

Malaysian Borneo

Area

in M

illio

n ha

(Mha

)

5

4

3

2

1

0

Indonesian Borneo

Malaysian Borneo>15yr

>5yr>10yr1.5 M

ha

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

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)

56% 54%

34% 36%

Indonesian Borneo Malaysian Borneo

17% 16%

28%

17%

33%23%

PROPORTION OF OIL PALM ESTABLISHED ON ALREADY CLEARED LANDS

46% 43%

14%4%

Indonesian Borneo Malaysian Borneo

50%38%

57%51%

ROLE OF OIL PALM IN TOTAL DEFORESTATION

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

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

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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