Submission deadline: Peat Inventory
The RSPO Secretariat would like to remind RSPO members that the deadline for the submission of completed Peat Inventory (including peat maps and shapefiles of peat boundaries) is by close of business Friday 15 November, 2019.
As we’re expecting a high volume of submissions close to the final deadline in November, RSPO highly recommends submitting your peat inventory template at least 2 months prior to the deadline. This will assist the Peatland Working Group 2 (PLWG 2) with the compilation and analysis of peatlands within RSPO members’ managed areas and avoid complications with compliance against RSPO Principles and Criteria (P&C). Failure to submit the inventory by 15 November 2019 will result in non-compliance against Indicator 7.7.2 of the P&C 2018.
Submissions may be done by emailing the inventory and required documents to [email protected]. For further details, please refer to the announcement here.
Note: The information provided by RSPO members for this inventory is intended for internal use by RSPO Secretariat only and shall not be shared with any external parties without prior consent from the respective members.
Applicability and submission reminder: Drainability Assessment for Replanting on Peat
In reference to the announcement by RSPO on the Drainability Assessment (DA) here, the RSPO would like to remind members about the applicability of the DA for replanting on peatlands.
Applicability of the DA is as follows:
All replanting of OP in peat areas from 11 June 2019 onwards will require a prior drainability assessment to be conducted on the replanting area, using either:
i) RSPO Drainability Assessment Procedure; OR
ii) Any other RSPO recognised methods.
For point (ii), DAs completed between 11 June and 15 November 2019 are required to submit their drainability assessment report to the RSPO Secretariat for review prior to any land clearing of existing OP for replanting.
Failure of the RSPO review will result in the requirement to conduct the drainability assessment using the RSPO Drainability Assessment Procedure. The assessment report may be submitted to the RSPO Secretariat by emailing [email protected].
Drainability assessments that have been completed and have commenced replanting activities before 11 June 2019 may continue replanting as planned based on the results of the completed assessment(s).
Note: Starting 15 November 2019, all alternative methodologies require confirmation by RSPO prior to use. Proposals may be done by sending a copy of the proposed methodology to [email protected].
Introduction of Revised RSPO Manuals on Best Management Practices for Oil Palm Cultivation on Peat
The RSPO Secretariat is pleased to announce that the updated RSPO Manuals on Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Oil Palm Cultivation on Peat (Volumes 1 and 2) are now available for download here. The first editions of these manuals were facilitated by the RSPO Peatland Working Group (PLWG) and published in 2012 to provide guidance on improving management practices in existing oil palm (OP) cultivation on peat. Further, the manual helped to address issues such as GHG emissions, peat subsidence, and the rehabilitation and restoration of peatlands previously planted with OP.
The revised manuals have been produced under the guidance of the RSPO Peatland Working Group 2 (PLWG-2) and significantly expand on the information in the original manuals. They incorporate updated information, methods, and practices, based on the experiences of RSPO member and non-member companies ànd peatland experts, and shall guide members with complying to the RSPO Principles and Criteria (P&C) 2018 Indicator 7.7.6 and 7.7.7. The manuals were prepared through a consultative process, over a period of 20 months, incorporating workshops, site visits, specialist reviews, and public stakeholder consultations.
Volume 1 provides guidance on BMPs for the cultivation of OP on peat, and covers important aspects, such as water management, management of nutrients, pests and diseases, and BMPs on environmental and social issues.
Volume 2 provides guidance on BMPs for the management and rehabilitation of forested or degraded peatlands, within or adjacent OP plantations, and guidance for the rehabilitation of areas where OP has been phased out as a result of drainability assessments or other reasons.
