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Actors, Access, Markets, and Values Involved in Oil Palm Expansion and Peatland Degradation in West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Forest and Society · Vol. 9 No. 1 (2025) · pp. 376–402

DOI
10.24259/fs.v9i1.34533
ISSN
2549-4333, 2549-4724
Published
2025-06-30
Publisher
Forestry Faculty, Universitas Hasanuddin
Language
en
License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

Abstract

Despite numerous government regulations aimed at protecting Indonesia’s peatlands and surrounding communities, the rapid conversion of peatlands to oil palm plantations, coupled with associated fires, continues to cause severe environmental degradation and health-threatening haze that extends to neighboring countries. This study examines the political ecology of oil palm expansion and peatland degradation in the Pelang Peat Landscape, Ketapang, West Kalimantan, focusing on the period 2000–2021. By integrating spatial analysis with qualitative methods—including active participation, in-depth interviews, group discussions, and document review—this research uncovers the dynamics of land-use change and access mechanisms. Findings reveal that oil palm expansion has resulted in significant ecological degradation, particularly in Peat Ecosystem Protection (FLEG) zones, driven by hybrid access mechanisms that combine regulation-based (legal and illegal) and structural-relational strategies, such as financial capital, political authority, identity, and informal land markets. The study also identifies "astroturfing oil palm plantations" as a strategy by large corporations posing as cooperatives to bypass regulations, exacerbating degradation. Expansion patterns are categorized into three forms—centered, spotted, and dispersed—each shaped by actor motivations and capacities. Furthermore, the analysis highlights the interplay between instrumental values (profit-driven motives) and relational values (sustainability and community well-being), which underscores broader tensions in peatland governance. Regulatory incongruence further complicates enforcement, allowing actors to exploit legal ambiguities, perpetuating the "legal, but illegal" and "illegal, but legal" phenomena. These findings underscore the urgent need for integrated governance approaches that address ecological, social, and policy challenges in peatland management.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

14 authors · 26 co-authorship links

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Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Irin OktafianiAffiliation unknown1
Dudung DarusmanAffiliation unknown1
Sulastri SardjoAffiliation unknown1
Ekawati WahyuniAffiliation unknown1
Muhammad Reza HalomoanAffiliation unknown1
Satyawan SunitoAffiliation unknown1
Hariadi KartodihardjoAffiliation unknown1
Bernadinus SteniAffiliation unknown1
Ruchyat Deni DjakapermanaAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.unhas.ac.id/index.php/fs/oai, first harvested 5 Nov 2026, last seen 5 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Actors, Access, Markets, and Values Involved in Oil Palm Expansion and Peatland Degradation in West Kalimantan, Indonesia</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Abdurrahim, Ali Yansyah</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Dharmawan, Arya Hadi</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Adiwibowo, Soeryo</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Yogaswara, Herry</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">van Noordwijk, Meine</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Oil palm</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Peatlands</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Political ecology</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Regulatory incongruence</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Access mechanisms</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Sustainability</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">Despite numerous government regulations aimed at protecting Indonesia’s peatlands and surrounding communities, the rapid conversion of peatlands to oil palm plantations, coupled with associated fires, continues to cause severe environmental degradation and health-threatening haze that extends to neighboring countries. This study examines the political ecology of oil palm expansion and peatland degradation in the Pelang Peat Landscape, Ketapang, West Kalimantan, focusing on the period 2000–2021. By integrating spatial analysis with qualitative methods—including active participation, in-depth interviews, group discussions, and document review—this research uncovers the dynamics of land-use change and access mechanisms. Findings reveal that oil palm expansion has resulted in significant ecological degradation, particularly in Peat Ecosystem Protection (FLEG) zones, driven by hybrid access mechanisms that combine regulation-based (legal and illegal) and structural-relational strategies, such as financial capital, political authority, identity, and informal land markets. The study also identifies "astroturfing oil palm plantations" as a strategy by large corporations posing as cooperatives to bypass regulations, exacerbating degradation. Expansion patterns are categorized into three forms—centered, spotted, and dispersed—each shaped by actor motivations and capacities. Furthermore, the analysis highlights the interplay between instrumental values (profit-driven motives) and relational values (sustainability and community well-being), which underscores broader tensions in peatland governance. Regulatory incongruence further complicates enforcement, allowing actors to exploit legal ambiguities, perpetuating the "legal, but illegal" and "illegal, but legal" phenomena. These findings underscore the urgent need for integrated governance approaches that address ecological, social, and policy challenges in peatland management.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Forestry Faculty, Universitas Hasanuddin</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2025-06-30</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.unhas.ac.id/index.php/fs/article/view/34533</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.24259/fs.v9i1.34533</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">Forest and Society; Vol. 9 No. 1 (2025): JUNE; 376-402</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2549-4333</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2549-4724</dc:source>
	<dc:language>en</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unhas.ac.id/index.php/fs/article/view/34533/13040</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2025 Forest and Society</dc:rights>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>