The Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve REDD Project

to 2002. Furthermore, deforestation inside the park rapidlyaccelerated after forests in the park buffer were lost (9.5%annual rate of deforesation after 1999).In Kalimantan, more than 56% of protected lowlandforests were cut down between 1988 and 2001In Gunung Palung National Park, West Kalimantan > 70%of the 10-­‐km park buffer was deforested from 1988 to2002. Loss of the park buffer caused a rapid accelerationin annual rate of deforestation (9.5% after 1999)inside the park, which lost 38% of its lowland forests.In the Gunung Palung park buffer, after valuable timber wasremoved, forests were clear-­‐felled for conversion to oil palmplantation (concessions and plantations comprise 70% of thepark buffer). This pattern of conversion from abandoned loggingconcession to oil palm plantation is characteristic of current landchange in Kalimantan.From the 1970’s, Kalimantan land use and management wasdominated by the federal timber industry. However,overexploitation has caused a rapid decline in this industry (94%reduction in active federal logging concessions between 1970and 2004) (Curran et al. 2004). Most former logging concessions,abandoned and unmanaged by the federal government are openfor reclassification to agriculture and industrial use. This pavesthe way for oil palm plantation development through allocationof concessions by the provincial government.The recent shift from federal to provincial land management hasexpanded considerably since decentralization laws were passedin 1999. While local and national governments are working toresolve inconsistency and conflict regarding land management,the process has engendered a feeling of empowerment at thelevel of local government that has catalyzed de factodecentralization (Rhee et al. 2004).In Central Kalimantan, the provincial government has proposedextensive land reclassification from federally-­‐managed “HP”lands (Hutan Produksi/Production Forest) to provincially-­managed“KPP” lands (Forest Conversion Land) in order torelease and convert most lowland areas to oil palm plantations.Of particular concern to forest watchers is a 2-­‐million-­‐hectare oilpalm project funded by China and supported by the Indonesiangovernment (Simamora 2009a) that may be driving plans forrapid conversion of Central Kalimantan forestThe official Provincial Government Land-­‐Use Change Plan Map(Figure 27) clearly demonstrates the provincial government’sintent to convert a significant portion of the province’s entireland mass to palm oil. The areas in red are still classified as“Forest” by the Central government but under the provincial planwould be re-­‐classified as “Non-­‐Forest” Agricultural use, pavingthe way for their destruction and conversion to palm oil.“Things alter for the worsespontaneously, if they be not altered forthe better designedly”-­‐ Philosopher & StatesmanSir Francis Bacon100