ABSTRACT
Mendol island (30,995) as a peat hydrological unit, can support many ecosystem functions: conservation (18,592 ha) and biomass production function (12,043 ha). It consists of peat soils (59%) and mineral soils (41%). A total of 4,897 ha of the mineral soils have been cultivated as paddy fields for a long time, in a food granary and rice production center in the Pelalawan Regency, Riau Province. Various attempts have been made to maintain the area as a food crop farming area and the effort is inseparable from its hydrology unit status. Water management and technological inputs have been carried out to balance the conservation and cultivation functions as a mutually supportive system. The biophysical characteristics showed that the mineral soils was generally a clay textured, deep, poorly drained, acid, and some contained sulfidic materials/pyrite. The thickness of the peat soils varied from 2 to >7 m, with a fibric to hemic maturity and very acid. Most of the mineral soils have been used as wetland rice production, while the peat functions as a rainwater storage and an irrigation water supply source for paddy fields. Conservation measures needs to be taken in order to make the forest conservation area a water reservoir. This is in accordance with the government regulation. When considering the Map of The Forest Area of the Kuala Kampar District, Pelalawan Regency, the central part of Mendol Island is included as a Legal Land Use area, which includes a thick peatland ecosystem area. However according to the regulation of the ministry of forestry and environment, the peatland in Mendol island should be conserved to support the hydrology functioning of the island. In summary, the peat and mineral soils in the island must be managed in an integrated manner which mutually support both production and conservation.
