Contentious Politics of Mapping for (De)forestation in Indonesia: From the National to Provincial and Community Levels

Abstract Democratization and decentralization have accelerated the dispersion of power, even in cartography Indonesia. Different actors from national to provincial community levels started create maps that reflect their own purposes interests. As far as forest peatland areas are concerned, some aim reconfirm reality deforestation opening for plantations. Others reclaim peatland. Without clear binding regulations on mapping, a plurality has prevailed at all This is increasingly reinforced by fact map-based land use become norm spatial planning, making creation legally map quintessentially important any stakeholder. The cases national, Riau provincial, this chapter demonstrate mapping processes failed consensus map: while pro-environment not easily accepted, rubber-stamp illegal no longer simply accepted before.