Site Nomination for Peat Site Profiles in Southeast Asia
Category:
Protected Area
Name of Site: Sembilang National Park
Country: Indonesia
GPS Point: Latitude: 1°38' - 2°25' S Longitude: 104°12' - 104°55'E
Location & Access: Administratively, this park is part of Banyuasin Regency area, South Sumatera Province. It can be reached from Palembang to Sungsang, about 2 hours by chartered motor boat, plus another 2 hours to the location.

You can take a speed boat of 40 (PK) capacity to reach Sembilang National Park. There are two routes to this area; from Sungsang, the capital city of Banyuasin II sub-district which will take you about two hours, or from Palembang which will take you about four hours.

To travel around the national park, you must first obtain a permit from the office of Sembilang National Park at Jln. AMD Kelurahan Talang Jambe, Kecamatan Sukarame, Palembang, South Sumatra 30152, Indonesia

Topographic condition of the catchment area, generally, is in the form of hollow level off, or in local
language is “lebak lebung”.

The Sembilang National Park mostly consists of estuarine formations. About 70 samller rivers flow inside the park. This area is dominated by mangrove ecosystems with the formation of Palembang sediment.

During the Pleistocene era, this area was at the Sundanese Plate periphery. During the Holocene era, this site was flooded owing to the higher sea level at that time. This area is now covered by marine clay and river sediments. It is dominated by alluvial sediments, including marine sediments and organic sediments at the shoreline, and organic deposit, usually in the form of peat formation inland.

The tide varies between 1.6 and 2.8 meters, and sometimes reach 3.5 meters. Most of this conservation
area is influenced by the tide. The site has a tropical climate with an average rainfall of about 2,455 mm
per year (1989-1998).
Temperature 22° - 33° C
Rainfall 2,600 mm/year
Generally, the soil consists of Histosol (including typic haplohemists, typic hydraquents, typic sulfaquents, histic sulfaquent, sodic psammaquents) and Inceptisol (including sulfic endoaquepts and typic sulfaquepts).The deepest peat formation lies at the border between South Sumatra Province and Jambi Province, in this case, it lies between Sembilang National Park and Berbak National Park.
Sembilang National Park comprises peat swamp forest, freshwater swamp forest and riparian forest in the province of South Sumatra.
Sembilang National Park is a natural coastal wet land area with various forest ecosystems of peat moss swamps, fresh water swamps, mangrove forests and mud flats.
The western part of the Park borders the Berbak National Park in the province of Jambi

Huge numbers of migrant birds from Siberia can be seen in Sembilang, reaching a climax in October. The calling of thousands of birds flying in formation can even be heard over the thundering waves of the Bangka Strait.

There are some useful tips for those of you who wish to visit this area. Please bring along a rain coat, big plastic bags, food and fuel. Avoid night journeys, unless you like to see crocodiles.


Total Area: 205750.00 hectare(s)
Background of Site: Sembilang National Park is a huge wetland with various forest ecosystems from swamp peat, freshwater swamp, mangrove forest and alluvial land. Huge mangrove lowland forest and peat swamp forest on the east coast of Sumatra. This area is named after Sembilang fish (Plotosus canius) which is widespread in this area.

Physical:
Topographic condition of the catchment area, generally, is in the form of hollow level off, or in local
language is “lebak lebung”.

The Sembilang National Park mostly consists of estuarine formations. About 70 samller rivers flow inside the park. This area is dominated by mangrove ecosystems with the formation of Palembang sediment.

During the Pleistocene era, this area was at the Sundanese Plate periphery. During the Holocene era, this site was flooded owing to the higher sea level at that time. This area is now covered by marine clay and river sediments. It is dominated by alluvial sediments, including marine sediments and organic sediments at the shoreline, and organic deposit, usually in the form of peat formation inland.

The tide varies between 1.6 and 2.8 meters, and sometimes reach 3.5 meters. Most of this conservation
area is influenced by the tide. The site has a tropical climate with an average rainfall of about 2,455 mm
per year (1989-1998).

Climatic conditions:        Temperature 22° - 33° C

Rainfall 2,600 mm/year

Soil:        Generally, the soil consists of Histosol (including typic haplohemists, typic hydraquents, typic sulfaquents, histic sulfaquent, sodic psammaquents) and Inceptisol (including sulfic endoaquepts and typic sulfaquepts).The deepest peat formation lies at the border between South Sumatra Province and Jambi Province, in this case, it lies between Sembilang National Park and Berbak National Park.

Ecology:        Sembilang National Park comprises peat swamp forest, freshwater swamp forest and riparian forest in the province of South Sumatra.

Physical Vegetation:        Sembilang National Park is a natural coastal wet land area with various forest ecosystems of peat moss swamps, fresh water swamps, mangrove forests and mud flats.

Others:        The western part of the Park borders the Berbak National Park in the province of Jambi

Huge numbers of migrant birds from Siberia can be seen in Sembilang, reaching a climax in October. The calling of thousands of birds flying in formation can even be heard over the thundering waves of the Bangka Strait.

There are some useful tips for those of you who wish to visit this area. Please bring along a rain coat, big plastic bags, food and fuel. Avoid night journeys, unless you like to see crocodiles.



Significant Value of Site:
- Biodiversity
- Hydrology
- Soil/Carbon
- Cultural & Historical Value
- Socio-economic

Notes:
Biodiversity e.g. plant, animals etc.:        
A wide variety of terrestrial and aquatic plants grow in this Park, including paku gajah (Acrostichum aureum), nipah (Nypa fruticans), cemara laut (Casuarina equisetifolia), pandan (Pandanus tectorius), waru laut (Hibiscus tiliaceus), nibung (Oncosperma tigillaria), jelutung (Dyera costulata), menggeris (Koompassia excelsa), gelam tikus (Syzygium inophylla), Rhizophora sp., Sonneratia alba, and Bruguiera gimnorrhiza.

The coastal and forest areas, particularly in Sembilang and Semenanjung Banyuasin, are a habitat for Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus), Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus), siamang (Hylobates syndactylus syndactylus), golden cat (Catopuma temminckii temminckii), sambar deer (Cervus unicolor equinus), saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), Sembilang fish (Plotusus canius), giant freshwater turtle (Chitra indica), freshwater dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) and various species of bird.

Other bird species inhabiting this Park include the Asian dowitcher (Limnodromus semipalmatus), spotted greenshank (Pseudototanus guttifer), eastern white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), milky stork (Mycteria cinerea), lesser adjutant stork (Leptoptilos javanicus), and white-winged black tern (Chlidonias leucoptera).

Hydrology :
Swamps and peat forests play important roles in balancing the hydrological system in the Park. Peatswamp
forests and mangroves function as catchment and container areas to store fresh water from rainfall. This water is stored and recharges the ground water table, water gradually feeds the 70 small
rivers meandering in the Park.

Mangrove greenbelt in Sembilang National Park reduces sedimentation in shallow coastal waters, which are used for water transportation routes. Carbon is being stored in peatland forests in Sembilang National Park.

Mangrove forests reduce salt-water intrusion to inland agricultural areas, e.g. transmigration villages surrounding the National Park. Mangrove forests also function to reduce pesticide pollution (from agricultural land) in fishing grounds. From year to year, mangroves protect Terusan Dalam Sub Villages from hurricane and other natural disasters.

Soil/Carbon                     
Peat

Cultural & Historical Value:
Human activities within/surrounding the area can be grouped in three main areas: fishers (90 %), farmers (9%) and others (1%).

Semenanjung Banyuasin, Sembilang, Benawan Bay, Sekanak Bay, Betet Island: exploring the river and mangrove forest by boat, fishing, and watching animals, migrant birds from Siberia and freshwater dolphins.Cultural attractions outside the Park include the Krakatau Festival each July in Bandar Lampung and the Lake Ranau Festival in December in Oku, South Sumatra.

Socio-economic        Enjoying the beauty of mangrove forests in Sembilang National Park is another attraction in the swampy areas along the rivers and sea. You can ask officials to take you to crocodile, snake, and bird nests, or to marvel at the endangered plants. You can also fish here catching five kilograms of fish within one hour according to local inhabitants.

You can buy fish, crabs and swallows nests from the local community for less than the market price in Palembang.

After buying or catching fish, you can pay local residents to cook them because it is not possible to make a fire in the settlement area. This is because all homes are above rivers. No visit is complete unless you try the Sembilang fish.
Designated use (status/legal classification):
- National Park/State Park|International recognition (e.g RAMSAR| Man & Biosphere Reserve (MBR) etc.)

Major Issues: Illegal logging
Forest fire
Oil palm expansion
Site Jurisdiction & Administration: Minister of Forestry, SK No. 76/Kpts-II/2001
Forestry Ministerial Decree Number 95/Kpts-II/2003, dated March 19th, 2003.
Peatland Type: Lowland
Management activities: a) Past
Aquaculture, logging

b) Current


c) Potential
Tourism destination:
Semenanjung Banyuasin, Sembilang, Benawan Bay, Sekanak Bay, Betet Island: exploring the river and mangrove forest by boat, fishing, and watching animals, migrant birds from Siberia and freshwater dolphins.Cultural attractions outside the Park include the Krakatau Festival each July in Bandar Lampung and the Lake Ranau Festival in December in Oku, South Sumatra.

Best time of year to visit: June to August.

Facilities & Activities Available on Site: Available facilities are lodging, dock, trail, home stay, guard houses of Sembilang National Park, etc
Institution Responsible for the Site:
Name of Organization: Ministry of Forestry Balai Taman Nasional Sembilang
Postal Address: Ministry of Forestry
Balai Taman Nasional Sembilang
Office address: Jl. Kolonel H. Barlian 79
Punti Kayu Km 6
PO Box 1288, Palembang 310153

Phone: +62-711- 410948
Fax: 0
Website: http://www.dephut.go.id/INFORMASI/TN%20INDO-ENGLISH/Sembilang_NP.htm
Nominated by:
Name: Lailan Syaufina
Organization: Bogor Agricultural University(IPB)