Fire as a land management tool in sepunggur Sumatra, Indonesia, can farmers do without it?

Small-scale (2-5 ha) farmers in Sepunggur, Sumatra, Indonesia, use fire because it is the cheapest and quickest tool for land clearing . Other benefits, as perceived by the farmers, are an increased soil fertility ascribed to ash addition, soil structure improvement, and a reduction of pests, diseases and regrowth of trees, shrubs and weeds. Extreme pollution from land-clearing fires in 1997, however, emphasized the need for alternative management practices. Slash-sell wood-and-bum is an alternative that could reduce smoke production because large wood stock would be removed and sold before burning. Its viability will, in part, depend on tax policies and the effects of a reduction in fire intensity on fertility of the P-deficient Oxisols of Sepunggur. High intensity broadcast fires (>500'C) increased exchangeable bases and reduced Al-toxicity; however, net losses in soil C, N and available P (measured as BrayP) occurred. Medium intensity fires (250-500'C) led to smaller gains in exchangeable bases and losses in C and N while a gain in available P occurred. The smallest gains in exchangeable bases and losses in C and N were recorded for low intensity fires (