Malaysia is the world no.1 producer for palm oil and Oil Palm estates are everywhere in this country. As a Malaysian, I am very proud of this fact.
Recently, I had heard that by planting Oil Palm trees (of course we need to clear out the rainforest), it will have some serious impact to the environment especially related to CO2 and O2. From what I know, basically, rainforest produces oxygen naturally and for sure Oil Palm trees also produces oxygen(photosynthesis), am I right? I don’t see why there is something wrong of replacing the rainforest with oil palm trees.
If there are some good explanation on this, I would really like to know and I bet all Malaysian also would like to know about it even. We do not want to be marked as the ’spoiler’ of our greenhouse as a whole.
Hopefully, someone would sincerely enough to explain about this. Environmentalist? NGOs representative? Oil Palm Organization? Greenpeace spoke-representative?
I found your blog on MSN Search. Nice writing. I will check back to read more.
Eric Hundin
By: Eric Hundin on April 13, 2008
at 2:32 pm
Thanks Eric.
By: dethan on April 13, 2008
at 6:51 pm
The reality of the forest decimation and species extinction in Borneo and Sumatra is difficult to comprehend without seeing it firsthand. Flying over Borneo today, one sees nothing but oil palm plantations where only five years ago dense tropical forest covered the land.
And what of the poor creatures that once inhabited the missing forest? Orangutans are literally being wiped out– slaughtered at such an alarming rate that they may not survive in the wild for even a decade. As the palm plantations move deeper into old growth forest, these gentle red apes simply have nowhere left to go. So what happens to them? Adults are killed on sight– beaten, burned, shot, tortured and often eaten by local poachers and palm oil plantation workers. Their babies suffer an altogether different fate. They are captured alive– often torn off their mother’s backs– and sold for a few pieces of silver on the black market, where, if they survive, they end up as illegal pets, or at tourist attractions… casualties of a very cruel world.
A few of the lucky ones make it to rehabilitation centers such as Nyaru Menteng, operated by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation and managed by Lone Droscher Nielsen. This Center is now home to nearly 650 orphaned orangutans — and the number is only increasing. ALL BECAUSE OF PALM OIL…
I invite you and your readers to learn more about the plight of wild orangutans at the Orangutan Outreach website: http://redapes.org
Richard Zimmerman
Director, Orangutan Outreach
http://redapes.org
Reach out and save the orangutans
By: Richard Zimmerman on April 13, 2008
at 10:51 pm
Thank you Richard for your comments and facts.
When I wrote this subject, never in my mind that I had been thinking that by replacing natural rainforest to become Oil Palm estates also meant that we had destroyed the natural habitat of animal species especially the Orang Utan. And worst, according to your statement, we killed ‘em purposely even.
I had visited your webpage and I am proud of your organization in helping to keep Orang Utan safe and avoiding them from extinction.
So now we knew that massive conversion of rainforest to Oil Palm estate especially in Borneo had made a very serious impact to the Orang Utan.
By: dethan on April 14, 2008
at 3:16 pm
Bule tapi bodoh… tidak mungkin lah semua hutan mau dibuka untuk sawit. ada land use planning. Dan tidak mungkin semua kalimantan maunya jadi hutan semua, mau makan apa orang beneran seperti saya. maksimal 10% hutan di kalimantan yg boleh untuk cultivated area, tidak lebih. Silahkan lihat via helikopter, jangan dengan regular airline, karena regular airline memang jalurnya mengikuti jalan negara yang memang tanahnya untuk perkebunan …. dalas bule goblok maunya menang sendiri… dia serang Irak, Afganistan … dia kotori Irian Jaya dg Freeport-nya. Dia penghasil CO2 terbesar di dunia… munafik.
By: bodong on June 14, 2008
at 8:47 pm
Terima kasih bodong atas penjelasan saudara. Saya berpendapat yang fakta saudara adalah datangnya terus dari pengalaman serta status saudara sebagai penduduk disana. Jika benar hanya 10% sahaja hutan di Kalimantn yang boleh dicultivate, maka ianya bagi saya tidak menjadi satu isu yang besar namun sekiranya ianya hanya 10% pada kertas dan lebih pada praktikal, maka ianya akan membimbangkan.
Salam.
By: dethan on June 18, 2008
at 10:41 am
First of all , you can´t say that a forest is the same that an oil palm planting .. and why is that??… well .. here is the thing : . You say that in terms of carbon and oxygen exchange forest equals to an oil palm planting … they are both plants right?.. But that´s not true. Not all the plants have the same photosynthetic capacity and gas exchange in an ecosystem its not only about the plants.. You have to take in account the soil too. When you have a forest , you have high biodiversity , it means , there are many types of plants with different photsyntethic capacities..so there is a high probability that carbon fixation is more effective in a rain forest due to the different species that can assimilate it ( Carbon fixation is the procces of taking CO2 from the atmosphere and keep it in the form of biomass for example, plant´s tissues, wood , etc.. and in that a way the Co2 in the atmosphere is reduced … as the greenhouse effect) . I know there are some studies comparing carbon fixation in a forest with the oil palm planting..i haven´t read it , but I`ve got the feeling that in terms of plant carbon fixation a rainforest can assimilate more carbon. Of course what is important is carbon balance (Net Photosynthesis minus respiration) .. as long as plants take CO2 trough photosynthesis they also release it when they breath.. so if oil palm takes a lot of CO2 but also breaths a lot… the carbon balance is negative…
Another point is that in the soil there are many microorganisms that helps with the hole system`s carbon fixation .. when you replace forest for the palm there`s a great impact on the soil too.. and probably in the planting the soil efficacy to assimilate carbon changes in a bad way… ..
It´s clear that a serious study about this topic is needed since not only malasya exchanges forest for palm, it’s a many tropical countries’ problem specially in central and south America.. not as bad as in malasya but we have to pay attention . Unfortunately there`s so many political an economic interest on it , that sometimes scientific results may be influenced by them.. so it doesn’t allow people to know the correct answer to questions like yours …
I hope I made your mind more clear about this.. best regards
By: viviana correa on November 23, 2008
at 11:23 pm
Thanks for the explanation about the gases viviana. Really appreciate your input in this matter.
By: dethan on December 16, 2008
at 11:58 am
Whatever we said about the sustainability of oil palm, they will not stop to stop oil palm expansion….. because oil palm is the biggest competitor for Europe and America’s soy bean, canola (rapeseed), sunflower, etc.
But please consider that total area cultivated by oil palm in the world is not more than 10 M ha, since total area cultivated by soy in America only 90 M ha, but oil palm will produce 5 times oil per ha than others. So it is clear, that oil palm is treat Eorope and America’s farmer.
In cultivation ways, oil palm just one time planted and will produce green coverage over 25 years, but soy oil and it’s friends must be planted every 3 – 4 months that destroy the soil for land clearing and land preparation… isn’t it? So please compare oil palm cultivation with soy bean, canola or corn…. you should open the FAO and USDA data before talking……
By: bodong on December 18, 2008
at 2:15 pm
I can see that you had really put some good thought here and your points are things that really need to be justified by other parties. The strength of your comment is that in other continent of the world, forest also are being destroyed and it is not only happens here in South East Asia. And meaning that the intention of the campaign to stop the expansion of Oil Palms is not really about environment, but is about money?
By: dethan on December 22, 2008
at 2:48 pm
For Mr. Zimmerman
I live in Borneo since 1970 (the same year with Prof. Birute Galdikas enter to Borneo), and I know her very well. I also know who is Lone (ex Mr. Odom wife) in Nyaru Menteng, Willy Smith from BOSS, Mr. Herman Rijksen etc…. but I never found the dramatic fact (or false data) that you’ve talking before about orangutan. I know orangutan, and I care about it, and I do not just talking or write proposal by unjust data to make dollar for travelling around the world, buy new laptop, coctail party etc. but actually I want there are balance between nature and human beeing, balance between orangutan vs orangbeneran (Human)….. I’ve seen it is unfair that orangutan drink milk and ear aple… but in the nearer village there are many-many child in hunger, poverty and school drop out. So it must be managed by government where forest for conservation and where for economic activities.
So please say what is the reality by data. As you know, last 10 year ago, some NGO’s said that orangutan will extinct within 3 years next…. and the fact they said again in last June that orangutan will be extinct whitin next 3 years…. yes, congratulation for new laptop, travelling and party…. I am now to be a friend of the poor in Borneo to survive…. but I never talk unjust and unfair…..
By: bodong on December 18, 2008
at 2:36 pm
I hope Mr Zimmerman could provide us with a much more clear data and updates upon this matter.
By: dethan on December 22, 2008
at 2:50 pm
You can see an ant overseas, but you can’t see an elephant in front of your eyes. First thing first, do not too long time for watching film, reading a book in the library…… go out…. get the real job!
By: Bodong on December 21, 2008
at 3:00 pm