Alternative needed for slash-and-burn practices

Forest fires have become a constant scourge to the forestry ministry. Forest expert Achmad Sumitro suggests that slash-and- burn practices be abandoned for good.

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Compared to other countries in Asia, Indonesia is endowed with a relatively vast cover of rain forests, which rank second in the world after that of the Amazon basin in Brazil.

In scientific jargon, our forests -- with the exception of those of East Nusa Tenggara -- are classified as "tropical rain forests" since they are nourished by rainfall throughout most of the year, the exception being the few (two or three) months that, with a rainfall of less than 60 mm a month, are relatively dry and are known as the dry season. Seasonal fluctuations do occur, but the rain forest is never as dry as the "deciduous forests" of Thailand and northern Myanmar, for example, that are almost bare of leaves during the dry season. "Monsoon forests" prevail in the zone that stretches from the eastern parts of Java to West Nusa Tenggara, where a distinct dry season with six dry months and six wet months a year exists.

What gives reason for concern is the question why it is precisely in our rain forests, also known as "wet forests" that fires occur with such frequency and often to such an extent that they harm the environment and obstruct life not only in our own country but in neighboring countries as well.

The main reason, in my belief, is the fact that Indonesia has a large population and that development is proceeding at a rapid pace. Thus the forests, which are viewed by some among us as "reserved areas" for eventual clearing and use (among the Javanese the process of building is often referred to as babad alas or "clearing the forest"), are under pressure in the form of both logging and land cultivation by what is known as the slash- and-burn technique for shifting agriculture.

Many soil experts and ecologists deplore this practice, which is widespread in many of the world's developing countries, because it tends to widen and because it cannot be controlled. In the past, when forests grew in abundance and people were much less numerous, such slash-and-burn practices were acceptable. At present, although in Indonesia forests still grow in abundance, the population has greatly multiplied. As a consequence, a condition is now needed to bring about such a change of attitude which will enable the halt of the practice and find alternative methods.

Traditional method

What our planners, managers and conservationists of our natural resources oppose is not shifting agriculture in itself but rather the slash-and-burn procedures that could devastate all that the forest contains, from micro-organisms to giant trees and animals, by the simple stroke of a match.

Admittedly, this is a traditional method of land cultivation that is practiced by the indigenous peoples and it is therefore part of their basic rights that must be respected. For a developing nation, however, such a privilege is too wasteful to be continued. At the same time, the development process must be able to come up with an alternative to the slash-and-burn technique that is environment-friendly and beneficial.

It is regrettable that up to the present, large land users such as agricultural crop and forest estates, human settlements and mining industries still employ such slash-and-burn methods for their land preparation purposes although they are part of the modern sector. This is indeed the cheapest and quickest method for that purpose. However, it is unethical and unjust of big businesses to emulate those traditional practices and resort to easy, albeit destructive, methods. A satisfactory alternative of technology that is cheap and does not use fire has not been found but could be with the help of sufficient willpower and serious research efforts. International agencies such as the FAO, ITTO, ICRAF, USAID, GTZ and others have paid much attention to this problem and have done much research in this particular area.

The question of land ownership is a sensitive one, especially when ownership patterns are not very clear. In such cases one party's claim of ownership over one particular tract of land, whether or not it is covered with forests, could easily be countered by another party. Conflicts over land could heat up tempers and raise feelings of vengeance among the dissatisfied parties. This in turn could lead to fires being set without much prior thought to the consequences.

If all the feelings of dissatisfaction were translated into fires, the green forests that now cover our land from our seashores to our mountains could soon be transformed into burnt tinder, which would not only be an uncomely sight to see but could give our country a bad reputation. A wise but firm approach is thus needed. It would be ironical if our forests, which are known to be high in humidity and rich in plant and animal life, should be transformed into barren wastelands.

Many variables

It would be no less ironic if such a tragic development should be further aggravated by an exchange of accusations among members of the public, non-governmental organizations, government officials and even experts. Our experts and government officials should anticipate such developments long beforehand so that the proper measures can be taken. Our experts should support those policies with consistent research findings rather than by coming out with controversial statements.

The problem that affects our forests, land and water are complex and involve many variables. It is not possible to simply come up with the assumption that, for instance, evaporation due to logging has caused the peat layers to dry up and make the area vulnerable to fires. Some experts even offer the reasoning that it is actually the presence of forests that, by the process known as transpiration, is causing water sources such as rivers and lakes to dry up, and that therefore the forests should be cut down. This kind of controversy exemplifies the over-hastiness with which some of our experts draw their conclusions. It also underlines the lack of research that must be overcome and the hard work that must be done.

The writer is a professor at the Forestry Faculty of the University of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta.

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