The role of land clearing in Indonesia's transmigration program
Ross, M.S.
Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies 16(1): 75-85
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0007-4918 DOI: 10.1080/00074918012331333719Document Number: 422443
A review of studies on the technique of clearing logged-over primary tropical forest under a government programme for the resettlement of rural families on new smallholdings of 2-5 ha. The studies, reported in 5 reports published by the W. German aid project TAD [see author's affiliation], were aimed at reducing the degradation of tropical soils by heavy machinery while salvaging the max. amount of residual timber. Vol. inventories (after clear felling) and valuations were made on 4 plots each of 1 ha on different sites at Muara Marah, E. Kalimantan. Vol. over 15 cm d.b.h. was 125-438 m3/ha, gross value up to 16 000-20 000 $/ha (in 1979) and estimated real profits 1500-7700 $/ha (higher on flat or hill-top sites than on swampy or sloping land); a further profit of 1100-2400 $/ha could be obtained by manufacture of charcoal from unmerchantable timber. A system of rational clearance is proposed, consisting of: survey and roading; underbrushing to improve visibility; commercial logging with regard to soil conservation practices; storage of logs before loading; burning of slash; recovery and storage of wood for charcoal; and planting a cover crop. The system (which differs widely from normal practice) is discussed and shown to be feasible as well as profitable. The results of studies on the problems of efficient land clearing and the utilization of forest waste are reported. There are indications from an integrated rural development project in East Kalimantan that the revenue from the residual forest produce, from the land clearing operation, could pay for the whole province's transmigration programme whilst allowing adequate areas of forest to be left to protect steep slopes as well as critical watersheds. Given the method of land clearance which is outlined there is a strong possibility that the transmigrants themselves could effect the clearance schemes. This would allow for a wage income plus the possibility of an ongoing source of supplementary income through simple technology production of charcoal.