PALMOILMAGAZINE, BIREUEN – Yusmadi Yusuf, the Coordinator of the Koalisi Selamatkan Lahan dan Hutan Aceh, has urged all stakeholders and the public to refrain from planting palm oil trees in the Paya Nie peat area, located in the Subdistrict of Kutablang, Bireuen Regency.
He emphasized the critical role of peat in water absorption, a fact also enshrined in Qanun Number 7 of 2013 concerning Spatial Planning. In an official statement, Yusmadi Yusuf highlighted concerns regarding the proliferation of palm oil plantations in certain locations, which he believes contravenes regulations designating Paya Nie as a protected area.
He referenced recent findings by the Aceh Wetland Foundation, indicating that villagers with plantations continue to expand palm oil cultivation around the peat, resulting in portions of the peat becoming dry. This phenomenon has been observed in various villages, including Buket Dalam, Tanjong Siron, and Paloh Raya in the Kutablang Subdistrict of Bireuen Regency.
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According to reports, heavy machinery has been employed to damage these areas, utilizing peat materials for palm oil plantation development. Yusmadi expressed concerns that continued encroachment could lead to the depletion and drying of peat, essential for agricultural water retention.
Based on these findings, the coalition has strongly advocated for collaboration among relevant stakeholders and village leaders in the Paya Nie peat area to prevent further expansion of palm oil plantations and preserve the region’s capacity for water absorption. Additionally, they have urged the Subdistrict Head of Kutablang to take decisive action to curb palm oil expansion in the vicinity.
As quoted from Serambinews, not only that, the coalition asked regent of Bireuen and his officials to publish a regent’s regulation to manage the peat and decide the borders between the peat and villagers’ plantations. These would maintain the conservation in Paya Nie peat which is the source of life and agriculture in the regency.
Yusmadi hoped every party involved in the issue should seriously respond to the vital reas for the local people. (T2)
