The effects of timber harvesting and forest conversion on peat swamp forest dynamics and environment in West Kalimantan

Abstract

The peat swamp forests of Kalimantan, formerly covering 6.3 million hectares, are found primarily along the western and southern parts of Indonesian Borneo and are separated by the Sunda shelf from those of Sumatra's east coast. Studies conducted on production forests in West Kalimantan indicate that the presence of natural regeneration stages favour continued sustainability. Silvicultural practices ensure sustainability when the residual trees left after logging are adequate and there is protection of the resource from unplanned relogging and forest conversion