The executive director of the Riau chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), Riko Kurniawan, has called for the audit and evaluation of concessions granted before a moratorium on the issuance of new conversion licenses for primary forest and peatland took effect in May 2011.

“The moratorium has been in effect since 2011, while Riau’s forest concession permits have been over-issued since 2009. Almost all types of land in Riau, including peatland, have been awarded concession permits,” Riko said on Thursday.

Concession permits for peatland more than three meters deeps, he went on, must be revoked, as the government had decided that peatland could not be used for any purpose.

Riko further explained that more than 50 percent of the total 4.4 million hectares of peatland in Riau was deep peatland. The depth of peatland in Kuala Kampar, Pelalawan regency, he said, reached 16 meters, making it the deepest peatland in the world.

“In the last two decades, Riau’s peatland and its ecological function have been damaged by being continuously converted into human settlements, agricultural areas, plantations and industrial forests,” said Riko.

“Carbon stocks amounting to around 4,000 tons per hectare have been released into the air as a result of land conversion and forest fires. Peat swamps have gradually lost their function as natural water storage that can prevent flooding and drought as deforestation has reached 160,000 hectares per year,” he added.

He called for a moratorium on new concessions in Riau to prevent damage to forests and peatland.

“It is hoped that the moratorium can provide momentum that gives a chance to the government to improve our forest management while at the same time, nature can repair the damaged ecosystem,” he said.

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