IMPLEMENTASI KEGIATAN RESTORASI GAMBUT DAN FENOMENA KEBAKARAN LAHAN DAN HUTAN DI DESA LUKUN, KECAMATAN TEBING TINGGI TIMUR, KABUPATEN KEPULAUAN MERANTI

Forest and land fires in Indonesia have become an annual occurrence in every dry season. The government's effort to overcome this is by issuing a peat restoration policy at the end of 2015. Although several peat restoration activities have been implemented, fires still occur every year so that they require effective handling and coordination of the implementation of peat restoration activities. This study aims to determine peatland restoration activities and the phenomenon of land and forest fires in Lukun Village, Tebing Tinggi Timur Sub District, Kepulauan Meranti Regency. The research method was carried out using a qualitative approach. Data were collected with careful observation, including detailed descriptions in context accompanied by in-depth interview notes, as well as document studies. The results show that land and forest fires occur every year, while peatland restoration activities have been carried out since 2017 including rewetting, revegetation, and revitalizing people's livelihoods, but restoration activities are not much done in land and forest prone to burning in the village while land fires and forests continue to occur in areas prone to fire