The way palm oil plantations are managed in the Heart of Borneo can significantly affect the region's fragile ecosystem. Integrating some simple procedures in plantations management can reduce those risks.
Managing plantations
1. Address wildlife issues
There are 511 IUCN Red List vulnerable or threatened species in Borneo which are in danger of further decline without careful management.
Toolkits and training for companies with important species in and around their palm oil plantations can help to reduce the impact of plantations on wildlife as well as avoiding wildlife conflict, which can be costly for plantation owners.
» CASE STUDY: Page 55 of the GBN report
Toolkits and training for companies with important species in and around their palm oil plantations can help to reduce the impact of plantations on wildlife as well as avoiding wildlife conflict, which can be costly for plantation owners.
» CASE STUDY: Page 55 of the GBN report
2. Get RSPO certified
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has worked with the industry, together with social and environmental NGOs, to develop a set of principles and criteria which companies can use to ensure they strike that balance and can demonstrate it to their investors and customers.
RSPO guidelines include:
RSPO guidelines include:
- Avoid cultivation on highly erodible land, including steep slopes, riverbanks and peat lands
- Avoid use of fire to clear land
- Use recommended management practices that maintain or improve soil fertility and thus ensure the continuing productivity of plantations include; land terracing, cover crops, road maintenance, and soil integrity monitoring
- Reduce chemical use through the use of organic alternatives, such as kernels and other waste by-products, and rely on integrated pest management to reduce pesticide use.
- Minimize water usage with optimal irrigation timing and drip-irrigation in nurseries
- Identify potential social conflicts on community or indigenous lands and abide by Free Prior and Informed Consent of those groups prior to concession allocation.
next steps
Receive technical support to receive RSPO certification from:
Contact WWF's palm oil team for ad hoc advice and support
