Typology of Deforestation in Riau Province

Abstract Deforestation assessments based on the rate number and extent of the deforestation area. This assessment of deforestation has the potential to provide wrong information about the condition of a region’s forests. High deforestation rates are known as the area with high forest destruction. Otherwise, the area with low rates of deforestation are known as the areas with better forest conditions. The rate of zero deforestation was known as a non-deforestation area. In fact, a low rate deforestation in a region are not necessarily mean having a better forest. This study was aimed to determine the typology of deforestation in Riau Province. The research method was done by analyzing land cover data with Geographic Information System. Deforestation typology assessments were conducted by using the variables of the proportion of the initial forest area of a regency, the incidence of deforestation and the rate of deforestation. The deforestation typology of the regency level in Riau Province has shown in 5 deforestation profiles. The highest typology is Large-Lately-Low Deforestation (5 regencies), which is indicating that the incidence of deforestation in Riau Province occurred in large forest areas, mostly occurred in the second period of observation with high rate. Riau Province is the province with the highest number of forest area in Sumatra (1990) and the highest rate of deforestation (68.18%). Deforestation in Riau Province from 1990 to 2013 is the deforestation typology of Early deforestation.