Water resource conservation model on sustainable palm oil (Case study: Sub-watershed Lalindu, North Konawe, South East Sulawesi province )

Abstract

Oil palm development in Indonesia is facing problems related to the availability of land and allegations most environmental activists who consider that land clearing for palm oil has caused massive environmental damage. Land conversion to oil palm plantations in terms of ecology will lead to disruption of both quantity and quality hydrology hydrology of watersheds (DAS) and the degradation of land and result in a decrease in soil fertility and loss of biodiversity. The expansion of oil palm plantations continue to occur, including in Southeast Sulawesi province spread in almost all districts. Konawe North, particularly in watersheds that are subdistrict Lalindu Wiwirano is one area which is used as a priority area of development of this commodity. Management of oil palm plantations now need to refer to the concept of sustainable management of oil palm plantations to meet the interests of all stakeholders involved in the palm oil issue. In the plantation sub-sector, the ultimate definition of sustainability which is the result of the 3rd Roundtable Meeting on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO 2005) in Singapore which states that sustainable plantations is a business that is able to meet the economic growth (profit), protection of the environment (planet) and social equity (people). While in Indonesia known as the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil System (ISPO) which is a policy taken by the Indonesian government in this case the Ministry of Agriculture with the aim to improve the competitiveness of Indonesian palm oil in the world market and to participate in order to meet the commitment of the President of the Republic of Indonesia to reduce greenhouse gases and give attention to environmental issues. This study aims to: (1) Assess the condition of existing land cover changes that occurred and the physical, economic, social and environmental flora and fauna in the area of oil palm plantations in sub-watershed Lalindu, Konawe North, (2) Assess the conservation of water resources in development of oil palm plantations in sub-watershed Lalindu, North Konawe and (3) to model the conservation of water resources on a sustainable oil palm plantations in sub-watershed Lalindu, North Konawe. The study site is in the area of oil palm plantations in the district Wiwirano, North Konawe, one of the districts in the province of South East Sulawesi with the capital Wanggudu. This study used a variety of methods of analysis. To answer the first objective, used descriptive analysis, regression and correlation analysis and spatial analysis. Descriptive analysis is used to explain phenomena which are qualitative. Hydrologic analysis used to answer the second objective is to use the model tank. As for the third objective answer, used the analysis of dynamic systems using Stella software and descriptive analysis discusses the institutional management of oil palm plantations. The results showed that land use changes occur at the sub-watershed Lalindu allocated for oil palm plantations, resulting in changes in hydrologic characteristics, land cover changes of Imperata grasslands and forests into oil palm and land use changes. The impact of changes in land cover that occur in sub-watershed Lalindu affect vii run off, biodiversity of flora and fauna (biodiversity) and socio-cultural and economic conditions of local communities. Hydrologic conditions in the sub-watershed Lalindu can be presented quite accurately by the model with the tank. coefficient of determination (R2) of 74.52%. Hydrological characteristics of the analysis results by the tank model indicated that: (1) Oil with gradients of more than 15% have the largest runoff discharge value of 2.715,36 mm/year, (2) the biggest infiltration value contained in Imperata grasslands in the amount of 751,32 mm/year, (3) soil water content are most numerous in the palm with a slope of less than 15% in the amount of 184.450,12 mm/year when the soil water content contribute to streamflow and water use by plants for evapotranspiration, and (4) suction water by plant roots is seen that the forest land, occurred most suction of water by the roots than oil palm plantations and reeds in the amount of 4.248,08 mm/year. Results of the hydrological characteristics of the scenario analysis on the conservation of oil palm plantations shows that: (1) the conservation of palm gardens produce runoff discharge value of 8.166,93 m3/year and without conservation of 8.449,13 m3/year, (2) Value infiltration in oil palm plantations with conservation of 161.062,09 m3/year and without conservation of 74.177,53 m3/year, (3) soil water content in oil palm plantations to the con.servation of 100.634,01 m3/year and without conservation of 99.731,39 m3/year, and (4) suction water by plant roots in the oil palm plantations to the conservation of 1.917,40 m3/year and without conservation of 1.690,47 m3/year. Important factors that affect the sustainability of oil palm plantations are: (1) The dimensions of conservation ecology of forest land with slope >45% with rattan planting and ecosystem restoration for rare fauna (anoa and Sulawesi bear cuscus) are protected in accordance with the concept of ISPO and HCV, riparian area 100 meters to the conservation area corresponding spatial, the Imperata grasslands serve as buffer zones and location of livestock forage planting, and planting cover crops/cover crop and mulch is an oil palm plantation conservation, (2) economic dimension is another effort on the oil palm plantation business rattan, palm-cow integration and compost can be an additional income for the farmers plantations, and (3) socio-cultural dimension is partnering opportunities, social conflict prevention and community empowerment to improve farmers' welfare plantation.