




































Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal 7(2): 139-143, July 2024 

BOOK REVIEW 
 

The Vulnerability and Transformation of Indonesian 
Peatlands: Navigating Social-Ecological Tipping 
Points for Resilient Futures 
 

Mohammad Yunus  
 
Mizuno, K., Kozan, O., and Gunawan, Haris, eds. 2023. Vulnerability and 
Transformation of Indonesian Peatlands. Singapore: Springer. xiii + 222. 
  

Tropical peat swamp forests in 
Indonesia have undergone 
significant changes in recent 
decades, experiencing degradation 
from fires, drainage, and land 
conversion. This edited volume is 
the product of a collaboration 
between Dr Kosuke Mizuno, a 
professor of Development Studies 
at the School of Environmental 
Science, University of Indonesia; 
Dr Osamu Kozan, an associate 
professor at the Center for 
Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto 
University, and a visiting associate 
professor at the Research Institute 
for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto; 
and Dr Haris Gunawan, a lecturer 
and researcher at the Ecology of 
Biology Department, University of 
Riau, and the team leader of the 

                                                      
 Department of Integrated Science, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 
40002, Thailand; mohammad.y@kkumail.com  

Copyright © Yunus 2024. Released under Creative Commons Attribution © 
NonCommercial 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC 4.0) by the author.  

Published by Indian Society for Ecological Economics (INSEE), c/o Institute of  Economic 
Growth, University Enclave, North Campus, Delhi 110007.  

ISSN: 2581–6152 (print); 2581–6101 (web).  

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37773/ees.v7i2.1271  

mailto:mohammad.y@kkumail.com
https://doi.org/10.37773/ees.v7i2.1271


 Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal [140] 

Global Environmental Facilities (GEF-5) Project on Sustainable 
Management of Peatland Ecosystem in Indonesia—a joint undertaking 
between the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and the International 
Fund for Agricultural Development. As outlined in the introductory 
chapter, peatlands that were relatively undisturbed until as recently as the 
1970s and 1980s have now become highly vulnerable ecosystems across 
much of Sumatra and Kalimantan. However, a longer historical perspective 
reveals the resilience and adaptability of these landscapes prior to the major 
development pressures that emerged in the late twentieth century.  

The opening chapter sets the stage by contrasting the current state of 
Indonesian peatlands, of which only 18.4% remain as undisturbed forests, 
with the state of their ecology before the emergence of large-scale 
disturbances. Commercial logging and smallholder clearing occurred in 
limited areas in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries without 
triggering large-scale ecological transformation. Widespread drainage of 
land to establish plantations, plantation development, and the resulting fires 
have been occurring only since the 1980s and 1990s. The introduction 
highlights efforts to adapt to the ongoing peatland crisis, including 
government and civil society efforts to restore peatlands, such as the setting 
up of Indonesia’s new Peatland Restoration Agency. 

The specific relationships between industrial timber plantations, newly 
introduced drainage infrastructure, fires, and land tenure arrangements have 
led to increased deforestation and degradation across Riau province. These 
points are highlighted in Chapter 2. Notably, the chapter shows how 
unclear property rights contributed to smallholder encroachment and land 
speculation in areas adjacent to concessions. This scramble for land spurred 
further peat drainage and burning. Yet, the study also indicates the potential 
for strengthened local tenure to improve peatland management, as, after 
fires, titled lands fare better than informal claims. 

Chapter 3 approaches ecological change in Riau’s peatlands through the 
lens of avian biodiversity; it shows that their unique bird communities are 
more sensitive to habitat disturbances than those in lowland rainforests. All 
anthropogenic land use reduces bird populations and diversity, with species 
diversity declining more in degraded habitats. The results suggest potentially 
irrecoverable losses in distinctive peatland species. Chapter 4 provides 
further evidence of ecological disruption resulting from land-use changes 
using data on declining mammal and bird populations and reduced species 
richness in acacia plantations as compared to natural peat swamp forests. 

Beyond biodiversity impacts, the book also examines carbon dynamics in 
drained peatlands. Chapter 5 analyses changes in soil CO2 over a full annual 



[141] Yunus 

 
 

cycle in a bare peat site in Riau that was being drained for plantation use. 
Field measurements revealed significant CO2 emissions, exceeding 50 
metric tons per hectare annually. Interestingly, the model’s results suggested 
a correlation between these emissions and environmental factors. As 
temperatures dropped and soil moisture approached saturation, CO2 flux 
levels also decreased. Such landscape-level fluxes signal the likelihood of 
drained peatlands becoming major carbon sources. 

At the same time, the book examines the complexities and nuances of 
peatland disturbances through fine-scale ecological studies. Chapter 6 
overturns assumptions about termites being purely destructive pests, 
demonstrating their essential role in facilitating nutrient cycling, maintaining 
soil biodiversity, and contributing to food webs in both natural and 
managed peatlands. Chapter 7 explores the diverse timber processing and 
retail networks supplying the local construction market in the city of 
Pekanbaru. These enterprises provide livelihoods and materials for 
development even as they drive deforestation, underscoring the need for 
multi-functional approaches to restoration.      

The final section of the book examines possibilities for transforming 
Indonesia’s landscape through integrated peatland restoration. Chapter 8 
reviews Indonesia’s national-level commitment to restoring 2.67 million 
hectares of degraded peatlands to reduce carbon emissions as well as 
promote local livelihoods. Early government pilot projects to block 
drainage canals, reestablish native vegetation, and support community 
aquaculture enterprises have shown initial success in raising water tables 
and soil carbon levels across a range of degraded areas.  

Expanding on these landscape-scale initiatives, Chapters 9 and 10 detail the 
technical components of comprehensive peatland restoration, combining 
hydrological rewetting, revegetation, and community partnership. Chapter 9 
presents water management guidelines tailored to local conditions; these 
aim to stabilize water tables for ecosystem recovery while supporting 
livelihood activities. Chapter 10 discusses the genetic considerations when 
using native species like jelutung (Dyera costulata) for optimal planting across 
heterogeneous restoration sites. 

The concluding chapter integrates the social and environmental dimensions 
of peatland transformation through a case study on issuing Indonesian 
Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certification to smallholder cooperatives in 
Riau Province. Although the number of full certifications granted has 
lagged since 2011, ISPO processes have compelled negotiated shifts among 
companies and smallholders toward sustainable production. This complex 



 Ecology, Economy and Society–the INSEE Journal [142] 

transition pathway symbolizes the long-term work ahead in fundamentally 
transforming Indonesian peatland systems. 

This book provides a multi-faceted look at a landscape in flux. Building 
conceptual bridges between ecological change, environmental governance, 
and social dynamics across local and national levels, the volume constructs 
nuanced narratives of systemic disruption interwoven with stories of 
resilience and renewal. As Indonesia and the world continue to wrestle with 
interlinked peatland crises, from haze disasters to climate impacts, the fine-
scale insights and cautious optimism in this book offer critical guidance for 
processes of adaptation and transformation. 

A major strength is the book’s balanced perspective. Many previous 
treatises on rapidly developing tropical forest landscapes prone to fire 
present overly simplified narratives of inevitable decline toward disaster. 
This volume avoids that trap. It squarely faces the stark reality that only 
18.4% of Indonesia’s peat swamp forests remain intact and clearly maps the 
feedback loops that have enabled large-scale drainage, burning, and 
conversion to plantations since the 1980s. Yet, the authors also uncover 
remarkable, historical systemic resilience, with Indigenous management 
systems sustaining peatlands over generations prior to industrial-scale 
disturbances.  

Crucially, the book unpacks early signs of adaptation even today, 
highlighting government, corporate, and community-based initiatives that 
attempt to rewrite dominant destructive trajectories. Canal blocking, 
participatory planning that integrates rewetting with local livelihoods, and 
certification schemes that push sustainability transformations, among 
others, all provide grounded examples of complex transition processes in 
motion. 

One critique, if at all, is the difficulty of bridging disciplinary divides, given 
the specialized nature of some technical chapters on genetic factors in 
reforestation or termites’ nutrient cycling roles. Yet, collating such fine-
scaled insights in a single edited volume holds value for comprehensive 
policy formulation. On the whole, the book strikes an admirable balance 
between depth of expertise and accessibility across various technical topics. 

Additionally, the book highlights promising initiatives that integrate 
rewetting, alternative livelihoods, and governance reforms, although they 
are primarily observed in a singular location. Future publications could 
explore the reinforcement and replication of these models across Sumatra 
and Kalimantan while also evaluating emerging scalability challenges. 



[143] Yunus 

 
 

Given the escalating threat of peatland degradation, alongside the 
exacerbation of global climate change and the El Niño phenomenon, the 
content of this book is exceptionally pertinent. Its relevance extends 
beyond Indonesia, encompassing countries with tropical peatlands, such as 
those within the ASEAN region, South America, and even Africa. There 
exists an opportunity to enrich the content of future editions by 
incorporating comparative studies of peatland governance approaches 
implemented in other nations. Comparative analyses between countries can 
help in identifying best practices in effectively balancing conservation with 
the regional development needs of tropical peat ecosystems. Assessing the 
successes and failures of diverse policy mechanisms in Indonesia, Malaysia, 
and other relevant countries can aid in disseminating effective models. 

Conflict of Interest Statement: No potential conflict of interest was 
reported by the author. 


