Sustainable Peatland Management in Oil Palm Plantation: Challengingbut Manageable

Abstract

The rapid expansion of oil palm plantations across tropical peatlands in Southeast Asia has intensified environmental degradation, including peat
subsidence, CO₂ emissions, and recurrent fires. These issues have triggered growing academic and policy interest in sustainable peatland management, especially given the ecological fragility and socio-political complexity of plantation landscapes. This study aims to systematically synthesize scholarly evidence on the effectiveness, limitations, and interconnections of current sustainability strategies in hydrological control, fire prevention, land use planning, governance, and community engagement. This research employs a qualitative Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach, guided by the PRISMA protocol. Data were collected through structured searches in the ScienceDirect database using targeted Boolean keywords. A total of 36 peerreviewed articles published between 2019 and 2025 were selected based on thematic relevance, open-access availability, and methodological rigor. All references were organized using Mendeley Desktop to ensure traceability and citation integrity. Data analysis involved thematic coding and content interpretation to identify cross-cutting patterns and strategic interactions. The results highlight that integrated water table control, participatory fire mitigation, context-sensitive spatial planning, and inclusive governance frameworks are essential pillars of sustainable peatland systems. However, gaps persist in enforcement capacity, cross-sectoral coordination, and long-term community incentives. In conclusion, sustainability in peat-based
oil palm landscapes is attainable through multi-level alignment of ecological, technical, and institutional strategies. Future studies should explore the scalability of locally adapted interventions and long-term monitoring frameworks across diverse peatland geographies.