Evaluation of post-mining land for rubber and oil palm plantations in Kutai Kartanegara, Indonesia

This study aimed to understand the limiting factors of rubber plant and oil palm growth and to find out the appropriate technology, soil, and land management for rubber and oil palm plantations. This study was conducted in post-mining land known as "Limited Company Mahakam Sumber Jaya" in Kutai Kartanegara (East Kalimantan, Indonesia), over an area of 121 hectares, between November 2015 and April 2016. The primary data collected by soil and land surveys consist of physical characteristics and vegetation biodiversity. Some other physical and chemical characteristics data resulted from laboratory of soil analysis. In this study, land suitability classification for rubber and oil palm plantations were evaluated using parametric methods by rating the climate components, soil, and land characteristics. According to the analysis of climate components, climate suitability for rubber and oil palm plantations belongs to class S1 (very suitable). On the other side, in terms of land evaluation for rubber plantation based on soil analysis data and land characteristics, the area was classified into class S3 (marginally suitable, 25 hectares with slope and soil fertility as limiting factors) and class N1 (currently not suitable, 96 hectares with soil depth, soil fertility, texture, and drainage as limiting factors). The same classes were observed for oil palm plantation, land area was classified into class S3 (marginally suitable, 75 hectares with soil depth, texture, and fertility as limiting factors) and class N1 (currently not suitable, 46 hectares with slope, soil depth, fertility, texture, and drainage as limiting factors).