Soil Degradation Map of Bontoharu, Selayar: 18 Per Cent of Land Degraded

Image: article cover, from Sudiyanto and Wahyudi (2025), Jurnal Wasian, licensed CC BY 4.0.

A research team from Universitas Wira Bakti and Universitas Sulawesi Barat has mapped the status of soil degradation in Bontoharu District, Selayar Islands Regency, South Sulawesi. The results show that most land still falls into the low-degradation category, but around 18.22 per cent faces serious problems. Of this, 7.85 per cent is classed as very critical. The study was published in Jurnal Wasian in 2025.

According to the study, the main factors limiting soil productivity are the abundance of surface rock, thin soil layers and unfavourable physical soil properties. The most vulnerable areas are steep slopes above 45 per cent and intensive agricultural land. The distribution map shows that land with a low level of degradation covers 81.78 per cent of the study area.

The research team recommends site-specific conservation interventions. Reforestation is proposed on 1,288.42 hectares of critical area, while community forest development is proposed on 1,018.54 hectares. In addition, the addition of organic matter and improvements to land-use practices form part of the recommendations. The study emphasises the importance of integrated spatial assessment for devising conservation strategies suited to local conditions, and its framework can be applied to other island ecosystems facing similar problems.

Source and how to cite

This story is based on the research article Assessment and Spatial Mapping of Soil Degradation Status in Bontoharu District, Selayar Islands Regency: A Framework for Sustainable Land Management by I Wayan Sudiyanto and Wahyudi Wahyudi, published in Jurnal Wasian Vol. 12 No. 01 (2025). The full article is free to read on the Jurnal Wasian website.

Cite the original article (APA 7):

Sudiyanto, I. W., & Wahyudi, W. (2025). Assessment and Spatial Mapping of Soil Degradation Status in Bontoharu District, Selayar Islands Regency: A Framework for Sustainable Land Management. Jurnal Wasian, 12(01), 10–21. https://doi.org/10.62142/s431wp41

If you use these findings in coursework, a thesis or other writing, cite the original article above, not this news story. The original article is licensed CC BY 4.0.