This report describes the underlying causes of fires in a site in Jambi Province, Sumatra, Indonesia. The site is located in an expired logging concession, and consists mostly of rubber plantations, which are run by the original inhabitants of the area, agricultural land, and largescale oil palm plantations. Socio-economic research and hot-spot analysis suggest that fires used in land clearing for oil palm plantations were the most common cause of vegetation fires in the site. The clearing of land for smallholder rubber establishment also contributed to forest land fires. A third cause of fire that was found were its use in land tenure conflicts between smallholders and plantations. There appeared to have been burning by either group to claim the other group's land. There were cases when trees and buildings were burned down as part of conflicts. Few quantitative data are available on land use practices and changes in the site. Consequently, it is not possible to assess how much each of the underlying causes have contributed to the total fire and smoke problem in the site. To supplement existing information, more detailed land cover change analysis, related to socio-economic findings will be undertaken in 2001.
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