The underlying causes and impacts of fires in South-east Asia : site 1. Sekincau, Lampung Province,

This report identifies the underlying causes of fire in the area near and within the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park in the Sekincau District of Lampung Province, Indonesia. In addition, the report also outlines the methodology of how the remote sensing and social science research undertaken at the landscape level can be linked by a Geographic Information System to provide valuable insights into determining the underlying causes of fire and associated land cover changes. This study identifies that the main causes of problem fires on this site are small holders establishing coffee gardens in the forest frontier. The problem is further exacerbated by illegal logging of the forest thus maki ng the forest prone to burning during the dry season. The increased knowledge of the profitability of coffee production and the perceived “access” to land in the National Park by the local population brings new migr ants to the area. This influx of new comers exacerbates the law enforcement and monitoring problems faced by the authorities in the National Park who are ill-equipped institutionally a nd without the capacity and resources to deal with the encroachment and sound anagement of the Park.

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