The closing of HPH in the year 2000, led to unmanaged and unprotected forest resources and triggered illegal logging activities. Both locals and immigrants from other districts were attracted to cut timber from the MPDF. Local authorities (Dinas Kehutanan) have neither significant will nor capacity to combat illegal logging. In 2003, the Wetland International conducted a survey in the MPDF and found some illegal logging activities. It was recorded that most of timber were between 30 cm to 60 cm in diameter, 60 cm and above logs were very seldom. It was an indication that there is no reason for big company to operate in MPDF anymore. The tree species logged were normally the floating ones, such as meranti, ramin and others. Kempas (Koompassia malacensis) and punak (Tetramelistra glabra) were not extracted due to its bulk density and thus still abundant.

In 2005, SSFFMP conducted a ground check in this area. Illegal logging activities were easy to locate, either from their simple wooden rail track , piles of wood in the river bank (small log pond) or cut wood in form of a raft floating in the river. We also saw a lot of gelam wood piles in river bank. Gelam (Melaleuca sp) is a common tree species in degraded peat swamp forest. This type of wood is less commercial but easy to be extracted. The locals exploit gelam as raw material for charcoal.

Unfortunately, recent illegal logging activities are taking place in the 25,000 ha of planned peat dome project at Beruhun river (see above map). This will be a big challenge for the project. Detailed investigation on loggers’ motivation, socio economic as well as potential participatory solutions is of crucial importance prior to or in the beginning of the project. Most of the loggers are from Muara Merang village or its sub village, and also immigrant from OKI district of South Sumatra Province.