EnvironmentalCooperation Between the Republic of Indonesia and the Kingdom of Norway 1994-1995 ^ C Id. t RO- - Mle’-S Feasibility Study on: Reforestation of Degraded Grasslands in Indonesia as a Climate Change Mitigation Option / by Arne Dalfelt1, Lars Otto Naess1, RTM. Sutamihardja 2, and Ngaloken Gintings 3 1 Center for International Climate and Environmental Research - Oslo (CICERO), Norway 2 The Office of the State Minister for Environment, Republic of Indonesia 3 Forest Research and Development Center, Bogor, Indonesia CICERO Report 1996:5 The Ministry of State Center for International Climate for Environment, and Environmental Research - Oslo, INDONESIA NORWAY tisraBemoNOFites document » unlmith > Cover: Imperata (alang-alang) grasslands with pine (Pimis merkusii) in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. All photographs by Lars Otto Naess. CICERO Center for International Climate and Environmental Research - Oslo P.O.Box 1129 Blindem N-0317 Oslo Norway Tel: +4722 85 8750 Fax: +472285 8751 E-mail: [email protected] ISSN: 0804-4562 Printed 1996 in Norway by GAN GRAFISK AS, Oslo. disclaimer Portions of this document may be illegible in electronic image products. Images are produced from the best available original document FOREWORD Indonesia and Norway are both parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC). Indonesia ratified the convention on August 1st 1994, through Act No. 6, Year 1994. Both countries are undertaking joint action to fulfil the commitments stipulated in the Convention. In consistence with the concern for climate change issues that could affect adversely small island and archipelagic countries, the Republic of Indonesia and The Kingdom of Norway conducted a project activity titled "Feasibility Study on Sustainable Reforestation of Degraded Grasslands in Indonesia." This activity is operated under the Memorandum of Understanding of July 14, 1990, which has as objective to establish environmentally sound and sustainable development through bilateral cooperation, based on equality and mutually beneficial cooperation for both countries. Poor forest management and uncontrolled land use changes in Indonesia contribute a significant share to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, especially C02, and one of many ways to reduce the C02 emission is to encourage reforestation and better forest management. The following study focuses on the rehabilitation of degraded grassland areas. It should contribute to the understanding of the importance of reforestation and sustainable management. Based on the results of the study, degraded grassland rehabilitation offers significant potential for yielding benefits both locally and globally. It can provide long term sustainable economic benefits to the country, as well as income generating opportunities and increased welfare for local communities. Therefore, reforestation of degraded grassland areas is very important for Indonesia because it complements ongoing activities to alleviate poverty and could contribute to reduce Indonesia's anticipated increase in C02 emissions. We hope that this effort will contribute to the global efforts of addressing climate change by undertaking sustainable development. The results of this study will also assist in finding solutions to the problems of degraded grassland in the tropics. Assistant Minister Director General Ministry of State for Environment Directorate for Nature Management Republic of Indonesia Kingdom of Norway Ir. Aca Sugandy, M.Sc. Peter Johan Schei l SUMMARY 1. Deforestation and land use change in the tropics contribute a significant share of the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, of which the most important is carbon dioxide (C02). Increasing the uptake and storage of carbon in the terrestrial biosphere through reforestation has been proposed as one strategy to counteract the atmospheric build-up of greenhouse gases. This study investigates the feasibility of reforestation of degraded Imperata (alang-alang) grasslands in Indonesia as a climate change mitigation option. A primary objective has been to discuss reforestation in a local perspective, as previous experiences have demonstrated that proper attention to social aspects and issues relevant to the local communities is key to reforestation success. Man-made Imperata grasslands in Indonesia cover at least 8.6 million hectares of land of variable production potential. The grasslands have been spreading on former forest lands as a result of logging and slash-and-bum cultivation, and are sustained by regular burning. 2. Imperata grasslands are considered by both the government and the local authorities to provide less benefits to the local people, to the nation, and to the global community, than its potential as a reforested area. However, there are many stakeholders involved in these grasslands, and their aims may be conflicting. Even though grassland rehabilitation in most cases appears to be socially beneficial and economically a 'no-regret' option, there are institutional, economical and social barriers for its implementation. Costs and benefits are distributed unequally in time and space, and the short term financial feasibility for the actors is not obvious. These obstacles make it necessary to give support in the establishment phase, as well as to provide incentives for long-term maintenance. 3. The report contains a brief overview of the issue of Imperata grasslands, an outline of the present status, a discussion of potential costs and benefits associated with reforestation, and suggestions of strategies which could be applied to reach the desired goals. Case studies are presented from three locations in Indonesia where fieldwork has been undertaken (one location in Sumatra and two in Kalimantan). The case studies provide baseline data about the sites and the Imperata grasslands, experiences from earlier efforts to rehabilitate the grasslands, the common attitude to reforestation among the local communities, a discussion of the feasibility of reforestation, and finally, recommendations for the future. 4 4. Reforestation of grasslands could contribute considerably to climate change mitigation through increasing the above- and below ground carbon storage, thereby removing carbon from the atmosphere on a long term basis. Furthermore, increasing the productivity of grasslands may in some cases reduce the pressure on natural forests and in turn reduce carbon releases from deforestation and land use change. Producing durable products, replacing fossil fuels with fuelwood, and using wood instead of fossil fuel consuming products, would further increase the carbon storage. I ' iii ! 5. Grassland rehabilitation also carries a significant potential for yielding benefits to Indonesia, both on the national and local level. Properly managed it may provide long term sustainable economic benefits to the nation, and income generation and increased welfare for local communities. Furthermore, a forest cover would produce a number of goods and services such as timber and non-timber products, soil and water conservation, and biodiversity benefits. 6. The case study locations differ in terms of population size, density and ethnicity, topography, grassland area and patch size, legal situation, applied management systems, and farming systems. The common attitude among the people in these areas is that grasslands represent a management problem, sometimes small, sometimes large. In all locations the grasslands were claimed and used by local people, mostly for shifting cultivation. Land use within the communities is regulated through customary land rights, but these are in most cases not accepted by the government. Hence, no compensation has been given when farmers have lost land because of governmental reforestation efforts. The Imperata grass is used to some extent for animal fodder and roof cover. Despite this, farmers would always welcome reforestation if this would increase their income and welfare. 7. So far, reforestation efforts have been unsuccessful in a high proportion of the cases. The main reason for the failures is uncontrolled fire. Grasslands left to fallow and protected from fire will over time reestablish a forest cover through natural succession. Fires are partly accidental and partly a result of intentional actions to provide cattle fodder, clear lands for cultivation or hunt animals. The problem of man-made fires appears to be due to social constraints rather than technical ones, arising from a lack of support for large-scale reforestation efforts from the local communities. Farmers generally have measures to control burning in their own fields, but have few incentives to protect the plantations. This arises due to several factors, including: (a) inadequate communication and cooperation between the government or the investor and the local farmers; (b) lack of established land tenure rights. Farmers have generally not been compensated for loss of lands, because traditional rights are not respected or legally accepted; and (c) farmers do not know the planted species and often do not believe that they will receive benefits from the plantations. Additional problems are lack of forest plantation maintenance, and inappropriate reforestation techniques and species selection. 8. Reforestation cannot be justified on the basis of carbon sequestration alone, but must be seen in the context of long-term social and economic development. It seems, however, that there exist management options where there are few conflicts between these aims.