critical analysis of the environmental assessment … analysis of... · 4.2.2 inadequacies in...

CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REPORTS FOR THE PLANTATION PROJECTS

IN SG TERU CATCHMENT

Chong Li Chiun

Master of Environmental Management in Development Planning

2005

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CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

REPORTS FOR THE PLANTATION PROJECTS IN SG TERU

CATCHMENT

by

CHONG LI CHIUN

A dissertation submitted

in fulfillment of the requirements for

the degree of Master of Environmental Management

(Development Planning)

Faculty of Social Science

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK

2005

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This study would not have been completed without the assistance and guidance of many

individuals who have unselfishly offered their help. I would like to express my appreciations

to:

Foremost I would like to thank Professor Dr. Murtedza Mohamed for his guidance and

patience as my supervisor. Thank you.

My heartfelt thanks also would like to go to all the professors, lecturers and staffs involved in

the SLUSE Program.

NREB officers from the Headquarters and Miri Regional Office. Special thank you to Mr

Bakar Sirai who helped me in gathering of information, and assistance from the NREB Miri

Regional Office and Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) during the field work. I also wish to

acknowledge the Plantation Managers of the oil palm plantations who scarified their valuable

time within and share their experiences and knowledge useful for this study.

Chong Li Chiun

May 2005

i

ABSTRACT

Loagan Bunut, the largest natural lake in Sarawak, is located on the flood plain of Batang

Tinjar-Sungai Teru confluence in the Miri Division, Sarawak. Rapid change of land use in the

upper catchment of Sg Teru had caused severe soil erosion and sedimentation problems in this

river. The flood flows of Sg Teru carry sediment from the upstream of Sg Teru into the lake

via Sg Bunut, causing rapid sedimentation and possible risk of complete disappearance of the

LBNP Lake.

Since the middle of 1990s, there are seven oil palm plantations developed within the

catchment of Sg Teru and some adverse impacts had been identified as the consequences of

the plantation activities. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) or Environmental

Management Plan (EMP) studies were conducted for the seven plantation projects within the

Sg Teru catchment. These EIA or EMP reports were submitted to the Natural Resources and

Environment Board (NREB), Sarawak and all of them were approved on the premise that the

adverse impacts predicted in the environmental studies can be well controlled or mitigated.

However, adverse impacts originated from the plantation development activities persist. This

dissertation critically analyzes the coverage and quality of the seven EIA reports for the oil

palm plantations within the catchment of Sg Teru.

The study has focused on the reports of environmental assessment (EA) of six oil palm

plantations and one forest plantation located within the catchment of Sg Teru, upstream of

LBNP. The mitigation measures and residual impacts of the plantation projects addressed in

the EA reports were reviewed for their coverage and adequacies and comments were given.

ii

One of the main environmental issues of the plantation project is soil erosion and siltation of

the neighbouring water systems.

Generally speaking, all the environmental assessment reports covered in this study had

discussed the environmental issues of the plantation developments in a very general way.

None of the reports addressed the issue of sedimentation and threats of pollution to the LBNP

downstream of the plantations. These reports were found as not specific enough to their

respective project areas. Nevertheless, most of the on-site impacts had been identified and

assessed..

iii

Pusat Khidmat Maklumat Akademik UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

Page

ü

vii

vii ix

1

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 1

1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 3

1.3 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA 5

1.3.1 Physicochemical Environment 6

1.3.1.1 Topography and Geology of Sg Teru Catchment 6

1.3.1.2 Soils of the Study Area 7

1.3.1.3 Land Capability and Suitability 11

1.3.1.4 Climate 21

1.3.1.5 Surface Hydrology 23

1.3.1.6 Water Quality 25

1.3.2 Existing Land Use and Vegetation in the Study Area 28

1.3.3 Human Environment 29

1.3.3.1 Socio-economic Environment 29

1.3.3.2 Participation of the Local People in the Plantation Industry 34

1.4 DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANTATION PROJECTS 36

1.4.1 Sizes and Locations 36

1.4.2 Implementation Schedule and Progress 40

1.5 PROJECT ACTIVITIES OF OIL PALM PLANTATION 42

1.5.1 Activities during Investigation Stage 43

1.5.2 Activities during Development Stage 43

1.5.3 Activities during Operational Stage 47

1.5.4 Replanting and Abandonment 48

iv

1.6 PROJECT ACTIVITIES OF FOREST PLANTATION 49

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

Historical Development of EIA 53

2.1 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT - AN INTRODUCTION 51

2.1.1

2.2

2.1.2 Purposes/Functions of EIA 55

2.1.3 Concepts and Principles of EIA 58

2.1.4 Environmental Significance and its Application in EIA 63

EIA PROCESS 67

2.2.1 Managing the EIA Process 69

2.2.2 Screening 71

2.2.3 Scoping 72

2.2.4 Consideration of Alternatives 75

2.2.5 Description of the Project 76

2.2.6 Description of the Existing Environment and Establishment of

Baseline Data 78

2.2.7 Impact Identification and Prediction 80

2.2.8 Impact Assessment and Mitigation 83

2.2.9 Documentation of EIA Findings 84

2.2.10 Public Participation 89

2.2.11 Review of EIA 90

2.2.12 Environmental Management Plan, Monitoring and Auditing 91

51

2.3 EIA IN SARAWAK- LEGAL FRAMEWORK

2.3.1 Environmental Quality Act (EQA)

2.3.2 Natural Resources and Environment Ordinance (NREO)

2.4 EIA AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY

3.1 METHODOLOGY

92

93

94

96

98

98

3.1.1 Introduction and Research Focus 98

3.1.2 Study Approach 98

3.1.3 Fieldwork and Information Collection 99

V

3.2 EIA/EMP REPORTS RELEVANT TO THE RESEARCH 100

CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 102

4.1 EMP STUDY FOR SG LELAK OIL PALM PLANTATION 102

4.1.1 Timing of the Study 103

4.1.2 Purpose of the Study 104

4.1.3 Inadequacies in Contents of the Report 105

4.1.4 Residual Impacts and Environmental Monitoring 108

4.1.5 Coverage of the EMP 109

4.2 LOAGAN BUNUT OIL PALM PLANTATION 109

4.2.1 Timing and Purpose of the Study 111

4.2.2 Inadequacies in Contents of the EMP Report 111


4.2.4 Coverage of the EMP 114

4.3 EIA FOR BUKIT LIMAU OIL PALM PLANTATION 115

4.3.1 Inadequacies in Contents of the EIA Report 117


4.3.3 Coverage of the EIA Study 122

4.4 EIA FOR YAYASAN MELAKA INCOSETIA OIL PALM PLANTATION 123




4.5 EIA FOR KSM OIL PALM PLANTATION 129

4.6 BARAM TINJAR FOREST PLANTATION - BARAM BLOCK 130


4.6.2 Cumulative Impacts and Environmental Monitoring 132

4.6.3 Coverage and Adequacy of the EIA Study 132

4.7 PELITA TANGKAS ULU TERU OIL PALM PLANTATION 133

4.7.1 Timing of the EIA Study 133


4.7.3 Socio-economic Considerations 136


V1


4.8 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS AND IMPACTS ON LOAGAN BUNUT 139

4.8.1 Issue of Fauna Conservation 139

4.8.2 Traffic Generation 140

4.8.3 Impacts on Loagan Bunut- Sedimentation of Receiving Water Systems 142

4.9 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 142

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION 154

REFERENCES 156

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1.1 Agricultural Capability of Sg Teru Catchment 17

Figure 1.2 Surface Hydrology and Settlements within Sg Teru Catchment 27

Figure 1.3 Locations of Plantations in Sg Teru Catchment 37

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1 Main Characteristics and Capability of Soils in the Study Area 13

Table 1.2 Agricultural Capability Classes in Sarawak 15

Table 1.3a Limitations to Crop Suitability on Mineral Soils 18

Table 1.3b Limitations to Crop Suitability on Organic Soils 19

Table 1.4 Land Capability Classes in the Study Area 20

Table 1.5 Mean Monthly Rainfall and Evaporation 22

Table 1.6 Water Quality of Sg Teru 26

Table 1.7 Settlements in Sg Teru Catchment 30

Table 1.8 Sizes of Plantations within Sg Teru Catchment 36

VII

Table 1.9 Schedule of Development of the Plantations 41

Table 2.1 Benefits of EIA 59

Table 2.2 Basis of Application of Environmental Significance in EIA Process 68

Table 4.1 Estimation of Accumulation of Traffic Generated by Oil Palm Plantations 141

Table 4.2 Summary of Inadequacy in Coverage of Project Description

of the Environmental Reports 143

Table 4.3 Summary of Inadequacy in Coverage of Description Existing

Environment in the Reports 145

Table 4.4 Summary of Inadequacy in Coverage of Impact Identification and

Assessment 147

Table 4.5 Summary of Inadequacy or Irrelevance in Mitigation Measures 149

Table 4.6 Summary of Inadequacy in Coverage of Residual Impacts 152

Table 4.7 Summary of Inadequacy in Environmental Monitoring Issues 153

viii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

amsl Above mean sea level

BOD Biochemical oxygen demand

Btg Batang

COD Chemical oxygen demand

DID Department of Irrigation and Drainage

DO Dissolved oxygen

DOE Department of Environment

EA Environmental Assessment

EIA Environmental Impact Assessment

EMP Environmental Management Plan

EMR Environmental Monitoring Report

EQA Environmental Quality Act

FCC Faecal Coliform Counts

FFB Fresh Fruit Bunches

FR Forest Reserve

INWQS Interim National Water Quality Standard

JKR Jabatan Kerja Raya (Public Works Department)

JV Joint Venture

Kg/Kpg Kampung (village)

LBNP Loagan Bunut National Park

LCDA Land Custody and Development Authority

LD Land District

LPF Licence for Planted Forest

MMS Malaysian Meteorological Service

NCR Native Customary Rights

NREB Natural Resources and Environment Board

NREO Natural Resources and Environment Ordinance

IX

OPP Oil Palm Plantation

POM Palm Oil Mill

R&D Research and Development

Rh Rumah (Longhouse)

Sdn Bhd Senderian Berhad (Private Limited)

Sg Sungai (river/stream)

SK Sekolah Kebangsaan (National School)

SLDB Sarawak Land Development Board

SMK Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (National Secondary

School)

TCC Total coliform count

TSS Total suspended solids

X

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Loagan Bunut, the largest natural lake in Sarawak, is an oxbow lake located on the flood plain

of Batang Tinjar-Sungai Teru river system in Miri Division, Sarawak. Due to its unique Peat

Swamp Forest ecosystem and hydrological characteristic of regulating the water levels of

Batang Tinjar and Sg Teru, the triangular region between Batang Tinjar and Sg Teru had been

gazetted as National Park in year 1990. Loagan Bunut National Park (LBNP) is rich in

biodiversity and it is one of the transit points for migratory birds. It is also an important site

for scientific research on the peat swamp ecosystem.

With a total catchment area of 550 km2, Sg Teru, a tributary of Batang Tinjar is the major

source of water of Loagan Bunut. When the water level in Sg Teru is high, water will flow

into the Lake via a small channel namely Sg Bunut. On the other hand, when the water level

in Sg Teru is low, the Lake starts to discharge and water will flow into Sg Teru via Sg Bunut.

Under such circumstances, sediment brought into the Lake will have sufficient time to settle

down at the lakebed. When the Lake starts discharging, the sediment remains on the Lake

without being transported elsewhere. As a result, a recent study found that the depth of the

Lake is decreasing at an alarming rate of 40 mm per year. With this rate of sedimentation,

Loagan Bunut will be completely silted up in less than 50 years.

1

Since the middle of 1990s, there are seven (7) oil palm plantations developed within the

catchment of Sg Teru and some adverse impacts had been identified as the consequences of

the plantation activities. Recently, the accelerated sedimentation within the Loagan Bunut had

been observed and the frequency of flooding at lower Sg Teru had also increased. The

unorganized and unplanned plantation developments within the catchment of Sg Teru are

threatening and shortening the life and existence of the unique and fragile ecosystem at

Loagan Bunut.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process is a decision making tool for a project

to be developed in an environmentally sound manner. By incorporating environmental

consideration into project planning, the project proponent can avoid considerable amount of

external costs during the development and maintenance/operational stages. Like other

development activities, agricultural developments pose a threat to the natural environment.

However, most of the adverse impacts can be minimized or prevented if appropriate

mitigation measures are carried out. Therefore, EIA plays a role in identifying the potential

adverse impacts of plantation developments and thereby formulates the necessary mitigation

measures to minimize the impacts.

According to The Prescribed Activity I of First Schedule, Natural Resources and Environment

(Prescribed Activities) Order (1994) Sarawak, the development of agriculture estate or

plantation of an area exceeding 500 hectares from land under secondary or primary forests

requires the submission of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report to the Natural

Resources and Environmental Board (NREB), Ministry of Environment and Public Health, for

approval.

2

Prior to the development of the plantations upstream of the LBNP, Environmental Impact

Assessment (EIA) or Environmental Management Plan (EMP) studies were conducted and the

reports were submitted to the NREB. After the review of the reports of by the NREB, all these

projects were found to have insignificant impacts to the environment provided the mitigation

measures and environmental management plans recommended by the consultants are

complied with and implemented. Therefore, none of the EIA/EMP reports were rejected and

developments proceeded as planned. To date, three of the seven plantations had been well

established and the remaining four are still in early stages of establishment. As what is

happening now, siltation in the water system is significant and the hydrological characteristic

had been changed.

1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

Sarawak is one of the pioneer States in Malaysia to formulate and implement its

environmental law. The Natural Resources and Environment Ordinance existed originally in

the form of Natural Resource Ordinance 1949. In 1993, in response to the growing concern

about the state of the environment worldwide as well as locally, the Ordinance was amended

to include matters related to "environment". Thus the focus of the law changed from primarily

conservation of natural resources to include protection and enhancement of the environment.

With respect to the development in the vicinity of LBNP, although Environmental Assessment

studies were carried out and management plans were formulated for the plantation

development, adverse impacts originated from the plantation development activities persist.

3

The identified adverse impacts on the Loagan Bunut are mainly due to the soil erosion as a

result of land clearing and soil disturbance activities upstream of Loagan Bunut. It is thus

necessary to re-examine and analyze the EIA reports and EMPs to determine if soil

conservation/management aspects had been sufficiently addressed or assessed. Furthermore,

the impacts of sedimentation in the receiving water systems should also be carefully studied

during the pre-development or planning stage.

Where do these sediments come from? Do the EIA studies sufficiently assess and address the

potential and residual impacts for the plantation developments? Are all the relevant

environmental issues covered by the EIA studies? This present study had critically analyzed

the coverage and quality of the seven (7) EIA reports for the oil palm plantations within the

catchment of Sg Teru.

As such, the objectives of this dissertation work were:

" To review and assess the coverage of the seven EIA reports in terms of overall

contents and scopes

" To criticize the practicality and adequacy of mitigation measures and environmental

management plan suggested by the environmental consultants

" To assess the coverage and quality of the EIA reports against the expectation of

sustainable development concept

4

Pusat Khidmit Maklumet Akademik UNIVERcITI MAI, AVV" cSOAt+IAK

1.3 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA

This section describes the present environmental status of the Sg Teru Catchment (hereinafter

referred as the "Study Area" or "Catchment"). The information is extracted from the seven

EIA reports reviewed in this study. Other information from some secondary sources (books,

scientific papers, published maps, etc) is also incorporated in this Chapter. The understanding

of existing environment within the Study Area will provide a baseline information needed for

the prediction of the potential impacts and assess the suitability of the area for plantation

development. It should be emphasized that this study focuses only the Sg Teru catchment

above the mouth of Sg Bunut. Therefore the area downstream from Sg Bunut will not be

described.

Zonation of Sg Teru Catchment

Sg Teru is about 60 to 70 km in length. It originates from the hilly area at the south, flowing

in a northerly direction into Batang Tinjar. The topography of the valleys of this river ranged

from steep mountainous areas to flat swampy areas. For the purpose of this study, it is

necessary to divide the Study Area into zones according to the topography and ecosystems

within the Catchment. Sg Teru Catchment is thus divided into three zones, namely:

" Lower Catchment - from the river mouth of Sg Bunut to the mouth of Sg Bong. This

zone is generally flat and consisting of peat swamp forest. Patches of rolling hills are

found in the middle of the peat swamp.

5

" Middle Catchment - from the mouth of Sg Bong to the mouth of Sg Aran. This zone

comprises rolling to undulating hills with patches of steep slopes. The major tributaries

found in this zone include Sg Bong, Sg Apun and Sg Pelajau and Sg Nat.

" Upper Catchment - located between the mouth of Sg Aran and the headwaters of Sg

Teru and its upper tributaries namely Sg Aran and Sg Lamah. This area is hilly and

mountainous with most of the slopes gradient more than 25°.

1.3.1 Physicochemical Environment

1.3.1.1 Topography and Geology of Sg Teru Catchment

Generally, Sg Teru flows in a northerly direction. The topography within the catchment is

therefore sloping in a south-north direction, with flatter areas along the river valley. The upper

catchment of Sg Teru (sub-catchments of Sg Aran and Sg Lamah) comprises low hills and

mountains with elevation ranging from 30 to 1,240 m amsl (Rejang Height Sdn Bhd, 2004).

These areas are rather steep with slopes of gradients between 20 and 35°. The area where

Yayasan Melaka Incosetia OPP is located is mainly undulating and slightly hilly with

elevations range between 30 to 46 m amsl (Yayasan Melaka, 2003).

In the middle stretch of Sg Teru where Loagan Bunut OPP and Pelita Tangkas OPP is located,

the topography is gentler with rolling hills with slopes generally less than 25°. Patches of

swampy lands are found along the river valleys of Sg Apun, Sg Pelajau and Sg Bong.

6

The northern part of the Study Area (surrounding Loagan Bunut) is relatively flat and low-

lying, with the water table found, mostly within 20 cm of the ground surface. The micro-relief

of the peat surface is characterized by a series of peat domes formed between the rivers. With

the dome-shaped morphology, the ground level gradually rises away from the rivers. The

highest elevation is found at the centre of the dome, located more or less midway between the

rivers. At the hilly area where rolling hills is merging into the peat swamp, the elevation can

reach 132 m at Bukit Pajek.

According to the Geological Map of Sarawak, the upper and mid Sg Teru Catchment lies on

sedimentary rocks of the Setap Shale Formation. The main rock types consist of grey to black

shale with minor inclusions of hard, greenish-grey, fine- to medium-grained sandstones.

The lower stretch of Sg Teru in the vicinity of Loagan Bunut Area is mostly covered with peat

that had accumulated over coastal or riverine alluvium during the Quaternary period. This

riverine lowland peat deposit was formed by the accumulation of partially decomposed

vegetative materials. The peat is very woody and except for the surface layers within the

fluctuation zone of the groundwater table, it is very raw.

1.3.1.2 Soils of the Study Area

The soil resources of the Study Area are identified and classified according to the local soil

classification (Tic, 1982). The dominant soils are identified at the soil series level, and the

main soil series within a locality forms the soil-mapping unit. In the following sub-sections,

7

the major soil units found in the Study Area are described. The characteristic and suitability of

soils found in the Study Area are shown in Table 1.1.

Skeletal Soils, characterised by very shallow soils overlaying parent materials, predominate.

In the Study Area, these soils are mainly represented by Kapit (Kpt) Series. Kapit soils occur

mainly on the steep to very steep slopes. It has no distinct diagnostic textural criteria although

clay and sandy clay textures generally predominate. Other properties are also highly variable

except for the soil depths, which must be less than 50 cm overlying paralithic materials or

materials with more than 50% rock fragments.

The Skeletal Soils found on moderately steep to very steep slopes of more than 35 degrees.

The steep slopes of more than 35° are unsuitable for plantation development and they should

be preserved for conservation purposes.

Red-Yellow Podzolic Soils covers a number of soils developed on a variety of parent

materials and over a wide range of topography. They show some degree of leaching, and clay

content generally increases gradually with depth. In the Study Area, the Merit (Mrt) and

Bekenu (Bkn) Series represent this group. Among them, Merit soils are the most common,

having developed in shale or sandy shale. They characteristically have clay loam to clay

textures. Bekenu Series comprised medium textured soils.

Despite the low inherent fertility levels, Merit soils are not considered as having serious

fertility problem. While the levels of exchangeable bases may be low to moderate, the total

contents are reasonably high. These soils are also responsive to fertilising and normal level of

8

fertiliser applications is adequate to sustain yields. Although the chemical properties of

Bekenu soils are slightly inferior to those of Merit soils, they are physically more favourable.

On slope of less than 35 degrees, Merit and Bekenu soils are generally rated as suitable for

forest plantation development but the Bekenu soils would require greater attention to soil

conservation than Merit soils. Except on very steep slopes (>35 degrees), most of Red-Yellow

Podzolic Soils will therefore be used for plantation development.

Alluvial Soils are deep, well to moderately well drained soils that have developed in recent

alluvia. Seduau (Sdu), and Bemang (Bmn) soils are the two main soils of this group. Seduau

soils are usually found in small floodplain levees and riverbanks in the middle and lower

courses. They comprise clay soils that are generally deep, homogeneously yellowish brown to

yellow, and well to moderately well drained. Bemang soils include fine loamy to clay loamy

soils that are generally encountered at the upper portions of watersheds.

Gley Soils are non-saline mineral soils in which a gley horizon is found within 20 50 cm from

the surface and which have no Spodic horizon. The characteristic of the gley horizon are not

adequately defined, in practice a gley horizon is a horizon in which greenish-grey or bluish

matrix colours donate that reduction is dominant over oxidation. Gley Soils are characterized

by poorly to very poorly drained conditions. The water table is permanently or temporary at

the surface, or is found below a depth of 120 cm, the height of the water table within the

profile depth being of no diagnostic importance. Bijat soils are formed in recent riverine

alluvium and by definition no organic surface horizon. Bijat series is the major soil series of

the Bijat Family. This series is typically found in the larger floodplains of the major river

courses.

9

For Sarawak standards, the Bijat series is of high fertility and with proper drainage it can

support a wide range of crops. If proper drained, wet paddy planted on the soils of Bijat series

can give high yields. For sustained high yields, however, sufficient fertilizers must be applied.

The Bijat soils have great agricultural potential and particularly with the scarcity of good soils

in the surrounding area. Limitations in the Bijat soils are poor drainage and flooding.

Organic, or Peat Soils of Anderson Series are found at the lower stretch of Sg Teru

Catchment. Tie, 1982 defines peat soils as soils in which:

(i) Have 50 cm or more of organic soil materials, either taken cumulatively within

the upper 100 cm of the soil or extending down from the surface; or

(ii) Have organic soil materials that extend from the surface to a depth within 10

cm or less of a lithic or paralithic contact, provided the thickness of the organic

soil materials is more than twice that of the mineral soil above the contact; or

(iii) Have any depth of organic soil materials resting on a lithic or paralithic contact,

or on fragmental materials (gravel, stones, cobbles) of which the interstices are

filled with organic materials.

Peat soils are formed by accumulation of dark brown to reddish brown, quite raw, woody to

coarse fragmented vegetative materials, derived from a tree vegetation. The materials are

acidic and low in all major nutrients. The bulk density is extremely low, and less than 0.1 in

most soils.

Peat soils of Anderson series are further sub-divided into three phases namely Anderson 1

(100 to 200 cm deep), Anderson 2 (200 to 250 cm deep) and Anderson 3 (>250 cm deep).

10

Deep peat soils of Anderson Series are classified as unsuitable for agriculture. However, with

proper drainage and water management practices, peat soils can be reclaimed for oil palm

plantation.

1.3.1.3 Land Capability and Suitability

The capability and suitability of land for agriculture of the study Area is assessed by a local

classification system (Mass et al., 1986). The agricultural capability of the Study Area is

shown in Figure I. I.

The suitability of the various soil types for plantation development is strongly influenced and

dictated by the different land characteristics such as slope/topography, erosion risk, effective

soil depth, surface stoniness, soil texture, drainage and flood/inundation risk (Saremas, 1996).

Mass et al. (1996) translated the agricultural capability of mineral soils into five (5) Classes

according to the increasing severity and number of limitation affecting crop production. Class

I to 3 decline from suitable to moderately limiting in their agricultural capabilities and in the

range of crops that can be grown successfully. Class 4 is marginal for agriculture and suited to

only a few specifically adapted crops (such as wet paddy on undrained sulphidic soils). Major

improvements are required before a wider range of crop can be grown. Class 5 is for soils and

terrain which have little or no value for agriculture in their present condition although an

especially well adapted crop might be grown, e. g. sago on poorly drained deep peat or cashew

on excessively drained coarse sand.

11

Similarly, organic soils are rated on the same capability scale for crop production as the

mineral soils. Due to the differences of management requirements between organic and

mineral soils, a prefix "0" is added for organic soil capability classes to differentiate these two

types of soils. This method currently applied in Sarawak rates most of the peat soils found in

the State as unsuitable for agriculture (Class 05). Even the better ones are rated as only

marginal suitable (Class 04). It is noteworthy that after drainage and reclamation most of these

soils would be improved by one unit in their rating classes.

To describe the agricultural capability and suitability of land in Sarawak in more detailed, the

system of Subclasses are introduced. They are ranked based on the types of soil, water and

terrain limitations encountered. These Subclasses provide specific guidelines in the choice of

suitable crop options and the management practices required. For Sarawak soils, there are

fifteen (15) possible limitations identified. Among the 15 limitations, seven (7) of them are

applicable to mineral soils, three (3) applicable to organic soils and five (5) of them are

applicable to both mineral and organic soils (Mass et al., 1986).

12

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