ABSTRACT
As described in the earlier chapters, peat lands in recent times have come to be seen as an economic resource to be drained, cleared and then used for building and road construction, agriculture or forestry. With rapid reclamation and development, some may argue to increase attention on conserving what is left for biodiversity, water resources, recreation and other purposes. According to Rieley (1991), peat land (lowland tropical peat land) performs vital ecological and hydrological functions related to hydrology (water storage, flood control and fisheries) and hydrochemistry. Andriesse (1991) listed the ecological assets of pristine peat land, such as playing a role in the delicate hydrological balance existing in the lower region of large river basin, serving as a buffer between salt and fresh water, and absorbing heavy metals in agricultural areas fringing the peat land. The ecological attributes and benefits derived from undisturbed peat land are summarized in Table 8.1.
