TITLE:
The Conservation of Ground Water Levels in the Peat Swamp Forest at Ayer Hitam North Forest Reserve, Muar in Johor, Malaysia
AUTHORS:
Siti Aisah Shamsuddin, Mohd Azahari Faidi, Hyrul Izwan Mohd Husin, Mohamad Fakhri Ishak, Ismail Parlan, Habsah Marjuni
KEYWORDS:
Hydrology, Oil Palm Plantation, Water Blockage, Peat Swamp Forest, Ground Water Level Conservation
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Water Resource and Protection,
Vol.13 No.12,
December
13,
2021
ABSTRACT: The management of peat swamp forests in Malaysia contends with two major issues: forest fires and the effects of abandoned forest-logging drainage systems or canals. Forest fire occurs during low rainfall season related to the local people activities. The drainage networks change the hydrological function of the intact forest ecosystem. A key function of the hydrological system in the undisturbed forest is to absorb water during rainfall season, thus delaying downstream runoff and preventing flash floods. The objective of the project described here is to restore the hydrological function of peat swamp forest (PSF) at Ayer Hitam North Forest Reserve (AHNFR) in Muar, Johor, Malaysia. The oil palm plantations, especially in the southern part of the area affect the forest reserve. Water flows out of the forest reserve through the drainage system constructed for managing these plantations. In 2016 and 2017, two water block structures or check dams were constructed near the boundaries of the forest reserve to hold the water and raise the groundwater level in the forest reserve. The implementation of the check dams at the two locations has conserved the groundwater level and subsequently, about 1.2 million m3 of water was saved annually from leaving the forest reserve from each of the check dam. This project is also part of the Coca-Cola Company’s sustainability commitment for water strategy with the global that is to replenish 100% of the equivalent volume of water consumed in their products and production by 2020. Replenishment is the key sustainability commitment for the Company.