Degraded Peatlands and Their Utilization Opportunities in Kepulauan Meranti Regency, Riau Province, Indonesia

Degraded peatlands are caused by various factors, including land fires, water mismanagement, and mining activities. Indicators of degraded peatlands can be identified through the type of land cover observed in the field, which commonly includes shrubs and barren land (open areas of ex-mining land). Therefore, this study aimed to determine the dynamics of the existence of degraded land and its utilization opportunities using spatial, image, and time series analysis methodDepartment Forest Resources Conservation & Ecotourism, Forestry Faculty, Bogor Agricultural University Kampus IPB Darmaga PO.Box 168 Bogor-Indonesias. To conduct the analysis, various data sources were employed, including Landsat imagery, the Regional Spatial Planning (RTRW) map, hotspots data, rainfall data, landforms maps, peatlands data, and soil information. The results of the study showed that between 1999 and 2019, the average area of degraded peatlands amounted to 198,084.54 hectares. Furthermore, the optimal area of degraded peatlands utilized for agriculture amounted to 7,122.45 hectares . Inventory of degraded peatland using the land cover approach can be obtained faster, cheaper, easier than the terrestrial method. Opportunities for using degraded land for agricultural purposes were also identified through the selection of plant species that exhibited adaptability to peatlands and held economic value. These selected plants, including sago, rubber, areca nut, and liberika coffee, were developed within the Meranti Islands Regency.