Tag - peatland

Bono Wave in Kampar River a Hidden Tourist Attraction (2014)

Kampar is a long river that rushes down from the Bukit Barisan mountain range that forms the spine of the island of Sumatra along its west coast. The river then meanders through the Riau province, to finally pour out in the Malacca Straits, on the east coast of Sumatra. Along its long course the river dvides itself into two large branches known as the Kampar Kanan (the right branch of Kampar) and Kampar Kiri (its left branch). They then converge at Langgar in the district of Pelalawan at Kampar’s estuary. Here they are joined by many other rivers causing Kampar to funnel out into a wide river mouth. At each high tide, high waves from the sea flow in and meet the down stream current of the Kampar. Where the two opposing energies meet, and furthermore caused by the funnel shape of the river, Kampar’s phenomenal tidal bores emerge, rushing deep inland reaching to over 60 km. upriver. These tidal bores are known locally as “Bono”, which rush in with loud roaring sound at a speed of 40 kilometers an hour. The surf on the river can rise as high as 4 to 6 meters, at times creating barrels, the darling of surfers.

Directed by Nanang Sujana and narrated by Bramantyo Prijosusilo, this video was produce for Green Indonesia initiative.

Forest Fire Families (2014)

Indonesia’s forest fires are emerging as a global threat and driving a public health emergency. Seen through the eyes of locals, ‘Forest fire families’ portrays the devastation the fires and smoky haze have on ordinary people.
Indonesia’s forests are the third largest in the world and its swamp-like peatlands are one of the world’s biggest carbon stores. But decades of forest clearance to make way for industrial scale plantations is creating a tinderbox.
Smoke from these fires add to air pollution and can be attributed to an average of 110,000 deaths per year. Business as usual cannot continue.

Silent Cry in the Kampar Peninsula (2010)

The Kampar Peninsula is 700,000 hectares of peatland up to 15 metres deep, on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. The peat contains more than 2 billion tonnes of carbon. 400,000 hectares of forest remain standing, 300,000 hectares have been converted to oil palm and pulp and paper plantations. All eyes are on the Kampar: loggers, carbon traders, and plantation companies including the giant RAPP pulpwood planter. But where does this leave the Akit and Melayu indigenous peoples who inhabit the peninsula? This film tells the human story behind one of the biggest carbon stores in the world.

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