Dharma Pinem, was sitting smoking and enjoying a cup of coffee in the living room when I met him at his residence, Timbang Lawan village, Langkat Regency. He very warmly welcomed us. Not too tall, black skin, slightly gray hair and wrinkles on his face.
Since 2015 he and several friends have founded the Bahorok Hijau Community in Timbang Lawan village. This idea stemmed from the anxiety he felt when he saw people planting oil palm at that time which did not produce any income.
"Because if you look at history, in Langkat Regency when the Dutch arrived, here they only grew chocolate, vanilla and tobacco. Only after independence did it turn into rice land. "As time went by it changed to palm oil and even now the price is not profitable," he said.
However, since the flash flood that occurred in 2003, rice fields have stagnated due to damage to the water irrigation that had been built. Until now, the local government seems slow to improve irrigation.
From this condition, people tried their luck in planting oil palm. Moreover, at that time there was a lot of palm oil seed assistance provided by the government and the price of palm oil was still very high. "I don't know what the government's program was, why they gave out free palm oil seeds at that time. "But now, just look, there are many things that are not being taken care of," explained Dharma.
Farmers' lack of capital and farmers' lack of knowledge in managing oil palm trees is one of the factors. According to Dharma, managing oil palm trees requires a lot of capital and intense care. Meanwhile, farmers' income does not match expenses. Uncertain palm oil prices are again a problem.
According to Dharma, oil palm is not a friendly plant. Because if the land has previously been planted with oil palm, it must be re-cultivated so that it can return to overtime. Palm oil cannot be used as a fortress to hold back water in the event of a flood. So it is susceptible to soil degradation.
This condition ultimately encouraged Dharma to form a green bahorok community. The change in society's perspective and the importance of sustainable living and the environment are the main reasons this community was formed. Moreover, Timbang Lawan village is very close to Gunung Leuser National Park (TNGL).
Initially, Dharma, through the green bahorok community, took the initiative to plant fruit trees around the forest up to the TNGL border. The trees planted are varied; there are durian, jengkol, mangosteen, petai, mango, duku and many more. Dharma and his friends work together to buy seeds and take care of them.
“Usually wait 3 months before the seeds can be moved for planting. "After that we will go to the forest together to plant and care for it until it bears fruit," he added. After harvest, the results will be divided equally and allowed to sell if anyone wants.
What is unique is that the activity of planting fruit trees is not only carried out by Dharma and his friends for personal needs, but the trees planted and their fruit can also be enjoyed by wildlife in the forest, such as; monkeys, orangutans, squirrels, birds and civets. Dharma is aware that wildlife is one of the links in the chain for a sustainable environment.
"The forest has now decreased a lot, so they sometimes look for food in residents' gardens. That happened but I forget what year. That's why we also create food sources for them in the forest so that they still have a home and food."
As time goes by, this community is growing and has many enthusiasts from the village community. Starting from the elderly, young people and even children. This community is also expanding its awareness by inviting farmers who are still planting oil palm to switch to planting fruit trees. This community will also help from seeds to maintenance. So that farmers whose land is used do not spend any capital.
"In fact, later the fruit can be completely owned by the land owner and is free to sell. So our requirements are not strange. "It's just that we always advise, if there are wild animals that eat the fruit, don't kill them, just leave them alone," explained Dharma.
Initially the land owners were worried that this community would want to peg and take their land, but with the proof carried out by Dharma and his friends, this skeptical view soon disappeared. Now, many farmers who previously planted oil palm have switched to planting fruit trees.
However, since the 2019 pandemic had an impact on the community's economy, Dharma began to seek help from several institutions. Not only that, Dharma and his friends also opened a tourist village business such as accommodation, villa and tent rentals for tourist visitors who want to camp in the river area. "Since the pandemic, many people have experienced a lack of money, so we think we can no longer do self-funding. "That's why we decided to find money to continue the community program," he explained.
Of the tourism village's income, ten percent will be put into the community treasury. The Bahorok community also collaborates with the Nuraga Bumi Institute, an environmental and educational community for women and children also in Langkat. Every child who studies at the Nuraga Bumi Institute does not need to pay education fees, but children are required to provide tree seeds and fruit every month. They can also take part in planting directly in the forest together with the green bahorok community.
The Young Ones Who Move
Ramadhani, a village youth who has been actively involved in the Bahorok Hijau Community since 2018, feels very proud to be able to join this community. Apart from being able to play a role in preserving the environment in his village, he can also earn wages to increase his income. “So there's no salary system here, sis. Just add some pocket money. "Usually we are paid per working day," said Ramadhani.
According to him, this community not only aims to create a sustainable environment, but this community can become a support for the community's economy as well as a forum for education and awareness of the importance of protecting the environment.
"The children here are also encouraged by their parents to take part in planting trees, sis. So usually children will be given a wage of 200 rupiah for each tree seedling. "Usually they can plant 100 tree seedlings a day," he added with a laugh.
In the planting process, each person has their own role. There are those who clean the land and land, there are those who make holes for tree seedlings, there are those who cut bamboo or wood to make signs and there are those who provide mentoring and measure tree growth. For one land, said Ramadhani, they can plant 100-500 tree seedlings. Depends on the condition of the land you want to plant. "If the land has a lot of bushes, it has to be cleared first, so that takes a lot of time. "But if the land is clean, then we can plant up to 500 tree seedlings," he added. Now, from 2015 until now, the number of lands that have been planted with trees is 200 plots covering an area of 215 hectares spread across 15 points in the area.
In line with Ramadhani, another community member, Selvi, is also very happy to be able to join this community. He admitted that he got a lot of benefits from joining this community. He began to be sensitive and care about the environment and no longer needed to ask his parents for money because he could get wages and harvests from planting trees.
“I was taught how to measure the diameter of a tree using a tool, the height of the tree is the same as the width. Taught which trees grow well and which don't. "So it's like being taught basic conservation, Sis," he said while smiling.
Those Who Appreciate
Nurul Nayla Azmi, founder of the Nuraga Bumi Institute, really hopes that there will be more initiatives from community groups who have a great willingness to start their own ideas in environmental protection as the vanguard. According to him, the community is an important wall in protecting the area because they live and live side by side.
“Their livelihood sources such as water and air are also directly provided by the forests around them. "They were born and raised looking at the forest from a distance all their lives, it's time for us to support their initiative to build maximum tolerance," said Nayla.
With great societal tolerance, said Nayla, animal conflicts will never actually occur, like our ancestors who had the value of living in harmony with nature. Bringing back local wisdom, reminding us of who we are as people who live around the forest as a reason why those born there must act as protectors.
“Just like our ancestors before us. Small and large initiatives that are applied into values and actions in life and become the most important part of us moving forward into the next life are the true meaning of conservation. "This value of life is what determines the sustainability of any joint and multiple protection efforts," he concluded.
Palbert Tunip, Head of Region 3 BBTNGL, also conveyed a similar thing. He was greatly helped by the presence of communities such as the Bahorok Hijau Community. Where the community also indirectly carries out conservation work such as cleaning the GLNP boundaries, planting trees in areas inside and outside the GLNP and handling conflicts between wildlife and humans.
“We also often collaborate with them. "Overall, the Baharok Hijau community, whose chairman is Dharma Pinem, has helped us a lot and there should be more movements like this," he concluded.
*For your information, this article was also published on mongabay.co.id
