Sabangau National Park
Encyclopedia
Sabangau National Park is a national park in Central Kalimantan
, a province of Indonesia in Kalimantan
, the Indonesia
n part of the island of Borneo
.
. It flows through the Kelompok Hutan Kahayan or Sabangau peat swamp forest
(5,300 km2), between the Katingan and Kahayan
rivers. The peat swamp forest is a dual ecosystem, with diverse tropical trees standing on a 10m - 12m layer of peat
- partly decayed and waterlogged plant material - which in turn covers relatively infertile soil.
The severely degraded eastern part of the forest, between the Sabangau and the Kayahan, is officially designated for agriculture. However, since the failure of the Mega Rice Project
, which drained large areas of peat
forest in an attempt to create rice paddies, no further efforts are being made to make it suitable for this purpose.
The forest has been damaged by legal and illegal forestry
. There is no longer any continuous forest cover where Orangutans may cross the river. A satellite view shows a grid of logging roads throughout most of the forest.
However, the western part is now protected as either National Park or National Laboratory Research Area. A study of the area shows that the hydrological integrity of the forest has been maintained, and it is therefore ecologically resilient, although since it is close to the regional capital Palangkaraya
it remains at risk.
population, estimated at 6,910 individuals in 2003, and other rare or unique species. The total Agile Gibbon
population in the Sabangau catchment is estimated to be in the tens of thousands, but is declining fast.
Vulnerable bird species include the Large Green Pigeon (Treron capellei) and possibly Storm's Stork
(Ciconia stormi) and Lesser Adjutant
(Leptoptilus javanicus). Efforts are underway to establish long-term ecological monitoring in the forest.
Central Kalimantan
Central Kalimantan is a province of Indonesia, one of four in Kalimantan - the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. Its provincial capital is Palangka Raya.The province has a population of just over 2.2 million at the 2010 Census...
, a province of Indonesia in Kalimantan
Kalimantan
In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo....
, the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n part of the island of Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
.
Geography
The national park is centered on Sabangau River, a blackwater riverBlackwater river
A blackwater river is a river with a deep, slow-moving channel that flows through forested swamps and wetlands. As vegetation decays in the water, tannins are leached out, resulting in transparent, acidic water that is darkly stained, resembling tea or coffee. Most major blackwater rivers are in...
. It flows through the Kelompok Hutan Kahayan or Sabangau peat swamp forest
Peat swamp forest
Peat swamp forests are tropical moist forests where waterlogged soils prevent dead leaves and wood from fully decomposing, which over time creates a thick layer of acidic peat...
(5,300 km2), between the Katingan and Kahayan
Kahayan River
The Kahayan river, or Great Dyak, is the largest river in Central Kalimantan, a province of Indonesia in Kalimantan - the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. The provincial capital Palangkaraya lies on the river. The main inhabitants are Dyaks, who practice slash-and-burn rice cultivation and...
rivers. The peat swamp forest is a dual ecosystem, with diverse tropical trees standing on a 10m - 12m layer of peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
- partly decayed and waterlogged plant material - which in turn covers relatively infertile soil.
The severely degraded eastern part of the forest, between the Sabangau and the Kayahan, is officially designated for agriculture. However, since the failure of the Mega Rice Project
Mega Rice Project (Kalimantan)
The Mega Rice Project was initiated in 1996 in the southern sections of Kalimantan, the Indonesian section of Borneo. The goal was to turn one million hectares of unproductive and sparsely populated peat swamp forest into rice paddies in an effort to allieviate Indonesia's growing food shortage....
, which drained large areas of peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
forest in an attempt to create rice paddies, no further efforts are being made to make it suitable for this purpose.
The forest has been damaged by legal and illegal forestry
Illegal logging
Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission or from a protected area; the cutting of protected species; or the...
. There is no longer any continuous forest cover where Orangutans may cross the river. A satellite view shows a grid of logging roads throughout most of the forest.
However, the western part is now protected as either National Park or National Laboratory Research Area. A study of the area shows that the hydrological integrity of the forest has been maintained, and it is therefore ecologically resilient, although since it is close to the regional capital Palangkaraya
Palangkaraya
Palangka Raya is the capital city of the Indonesian province Central Kalimantan, situated between the Kayahan and the Sabangau rivers. The population of the municipality is 170,761. The closest airport serving the city is Tjilik Riwut.- History :...
it remains at risk.
Ecology
The forest is home to the world’s largest OrangutanOrangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
population, estimated at 6,910 individuals in 2003, and other rare or unique species. The total Agile Gibbon
Agile Gibbon
The agile gibbon , also known as the black-handed gibbon, is an Old World primate in the Hylobatidae or gibbon family, a group also collectively referred to as the "lesser apes"...
population in the Sabangau catchment is estimated to be in the tens of thousands, but is declining fast.
Vulnerable bird species include the Large Green Pigeon (Treron capellei) and possibly Storm's Stork
Storm's Stork
The Storm's Stork, Ciconia stormi is a large, approximately long, stork with black and white plumages, red bill, orange bare facial skin, red legs and yellow orbital skin. Both sexes are similar. The young has duller plumage and bare skin....
(Ciconia stormi) and Lesser Adjutant
Lesser Adjutant
The Lesser Adjutant, Leptoptilos javanicus, is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread species which is resident breeder in southern Asia from India east to southern China and Java....
(Leptoptilus javanicus). Efforts are underway to establish long-term ecological monitoring in the forest.