History of land status, land use, and land cover of two oil palm plantations in Riau Province

Abstract

Deforestation in Indonesia is often attributed to oil palm plantations. it is essential to investigate the historical land use origins within these plantations. This study aimed to identify the history of land status, type of land use and land cover of oil palm plantations. The research was conducted on two oil palm plantations located in Riau Province. Analysis involved overlaying maps, interpreting Landsat images from before the plantations were established, conducting a literature review, and interviews. The findings revealed that the majority of the land was classified as non-forest area (98.6%) according to the Minister of Forestry decree and earmarked for plantations and agriculture (99.01%) under the Riau Provincial Spatial Plan. Analysis indicated that the plantations had converted shrublands, former community lands, and peat swamp forests. Before conversion, the plantations exhibited four primary land cover and land use types: young bush (45%), secondary dryland forest (36%), old bushes (16%), and open land (3%). These results suggest that the activities undertaken by these two oil palm plantations did not contribute to deforestation, as they operated predominantly in non-forest areas.