Abstract:
In recent years it has been claimed that the use of peat land for oil palm production was declared
to be damaged. To clarify these claims, the research has been done with the purpose of evaluating
the suitability and degradation of the peat soil which is used for oil palm plantation in area of PT.
Subur Mandiri Lestari (PT.SML). This research has been done with survey method. The research
location was determined with purposive sampling methods. While the sampling is done with
transect method and the sampling point on every transects was determined with free grid method.
On this research there is two transect, each transect had set for 5 and 4 sampling point. The
determination of land suitability class is done with limiting factor method with matching technique,
while the determination of peat land degradation was done with comparative method. The result of
analysis shows that the peat land which is used for oil palm plantation in the area of PT. SML have
an actual land suitability class of S3-f (marginally suitable with pH and low base saturation as
limiting factor) and the potential land suitability of S2 (suitable). The results of the analysis of peat
degradation indicate that peat land are used for oil palm plantations in the area of PT. SML if
referring to PP No. 71/2014, PP No. 57/2016 and PP no. 150/2000 all damaged (degraded).
However, if the degradation analysis refers to BBSDLP (2018), then the peat land is not degraded
