(New Publication) Enhancing the ecological value of oil palm agriculture through set-asides

In oil palm agriculture, set-asides (i.e. uncultivated parts of agricultural landscapes) may help minimize environmental impacts but also reduce oil palm cultivation area. These set-asides are often determined by the need to maintain natural habitats on steep slopes and retaining natural habitats near rivers (i.e. riparian reserves). In this study, the authors aimed to optimize the tradeoffs between the ecological outcomes provided by set-asides and oil palm cultivation area and modelled an approach to configuring set-asides aimed at optimizing ecological outcomes.

Study workflow (Bicknell et al. 2023)

The study determined that all set-aside configurations support substantial ecological values, with the best strategies involving riparian reserves that were spatially targeted and variable in riparian reserve widths. Its findings would greatly inform both conservation and agricultural planning, where implementing locally tailored riparian reserves would aid in improving ecological values without compromising on cultivation area.

Read the full paper published in Nature Sustainability here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-022-01049-6