JP\/17\/DAMAR<\/p>\n
Forest conservation through resin, Krui style<\/p>\n
Oyos Saroso HN
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Lampung<\/p>\n
Yati, 28, deftly climbed a 60-centimeter-in-diameter resin tree
\nwith a rattan rope tied around her back and the trunk, using
\nnotches on the tree stem, from which she scraped dry resin gum
\nand put it in a basket.<\/p>\n
In spite of her hard work -- actually more suited to men --
\nthe lady from Pahmungan village, Pesisir Utara district (capital:
\nKrui town), West Lampung regency, is a fortunate woman. Yati has
\ninherited no less than two hectares of resin plantations, enough
\nto support her family.<\/p>\n
A resin-bearing damar tree, which is harvested every 2 to 3
\nweeks, produces between 2 and 3 kilograms of dry resin gum. A
\nresin tapper as skillful as Yati can collect 60 kilograms of
\nresin from about 100 trees. The gum is sold to middlemen at
\nbetween Rp 3,500 and 4,000 (less than US$1) per kilogram.<\/p>\n
In Krui, men and women, young and old, are skilled climbers of
\nresin trees. Without any special training, Krui women learn to
\nbecome resin tappers through daily practice. However, they need
\nto be physically fit and have strong legs. They also have to
\ncover long distances through the forest, carrying baskets, ropes
\nand scrapers.<\/p>\n
After finding a mature tree for tapping, the tapper cuts
\nnotches into the tree stem from the bottom upward, almost
\nreaching to the very top of the tree. Several days later, they
\nscrape the dry resin gum from the notches.<\/p>\n
Climbing damar trees of between 8 meters and 10 meters in
\nheight using such simple means is a common job for women in
\nPahmungan. Thirty-year-old Yani, a woman tapper in this village,
\nclaims to be able to collect around 6 kilograms a day from three
\nresin trees. At harvest time, she can collect at least 50
\nkilograms from 100 trees.<\/p>\n
Plantation workers are usually allocated one kilogram out of
\nevery three kilograms of resin harvested. In fact, only a few
\nowners of damar plantations do the tapping work themselves today.
\nMost of them have moved to the city and employ workers to take
\ncare of the trees on a production sharing basis.<\/p>\n
Middlemen buy the gum regularly at around Rp 3,500 per
\nkilogram, and it is then transported to Krui market in the
\ndistrict town in West Lampung, before being sent to Bandarlampung
\nor Jakarta for export.<\/p>\n
Tens of thousands of hectares of resin trees can be found
\nalong the northern coast of Krui, West Lampung regency. Repong
\ndamar, as the resin plantations are locally called, form a green
\nbuffer zone bordering on the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (TNBBS).
\nIn existence since the 19th century, they not only protect the
\npark but also provide a source of livelihood for local people.<\/p>\n
The resin of the Mata kucing tree (Shorea Javanica) has been
\nharvested by Lampung people since the 19th century. Most of the
\nplantations today are managed by local communities and have been
\nhanded down from generation to generation, with a small portion
\ncomprising replanted areas that have yet to enter into
\nproduction.<\/p>\n
Figures from the Lampung Cooperatives and Trade Office show
\nthat 80 percent of Indonesia's annual production of around 10,000
\ntons of resin come from Krui. More interestingly, almost all of
\nthe resin produced in Krui comes from trees belonging to the
\nmeranti (Dipterocarpaceae) family -- particularly Shorea javanica
\n-- that have been cultivated by the coastal people for over 200
\nyears.<\/p>\n
The country's natural forests produce three principal types of
\nresin: turpentine resin (from pine trees), copal (from the
\nagathis tree) and damar (from the meranti family). Damar is
\ngenerally seen as being lower in quality than copal or turpentine
\nresin, but the mata kucing variety, which comes from Shorea
\njavanica trees, is of the same quality as the other two.<\/p>\n
Of the 70 villages in the Krui coastal region, only 13 (20
\npercent) do not have repong damar. Over half of the Krui
\npopulation is engaged in resin production as plantation owners,
\nmiddlemen, workers, wholesalers, hauliers and sorters. The Krui
\ngreen buffer zone is expected to be grow in the future.<\/p>\n
According to Darsan (35), a Pahmungan villager, Krui people
\nhave for centuries relied on resin for their living. Before the
\nregion was exploited for the planting of oil palms, the resin
\nplantations in Krui covered hundreds of thousands of hectares.
\nWith the opening up of the oil palm plantations, the area of the
\nresin zone declined and disputes with the oil palm firms became
\ncommonplace.<\/p>\n
"Locals are now united and no longer willing to sell their
\nresin plantations to large-scale oil palm companies," said
\nDarsan. Kurniadi, a facilitator with LATIN, a non-governmental
\norganization, said the resin zone cultivated by the Krui people
\nhad become a part of Lampung's heritage and supported both the
\neconomy and the TNBBS.<\/p>\n
The Krui tradition also retains the rule that married couples
\nwith children are required to make available damar seedlings for
\nplanting. Adherence to local custom and tradition prevents any
\nrandom felling of resin trees. "A resin tree that is cut down
\nmust at least be replaced by another. In this way, repong damar
\nwill be conserved for future generations," Darsan explained.<\/p>\n
However, Krui's resin plantations are facing a serious problem
\nwith the conversion of 25,000 hectares to smallholder and nucleus
\noil palm plantations since 1995, undertaken by PT Karya Canggih
\nMandiri Utama. Problems have also arisen from Minister of
\nForestry Decree No.47\/Kpts-II\/1998 on the special designation as
\nprotected and limited production forest, which designations now
\naffect 29,000 hectares.<\/p>\n
A number of environmental activists and researchers who have
\nstudied Krui's repong damar believe that without proper control,
\nthe community-based resin management system will break down.<\/p>\n
The mata kucing variety of resin harvested in Krui is said to
\nbe the best in Indonesia. By cultivating resin, local villagers
\ncan afford to pay for their children to finish school, some of
\nwhom have progressed to become local officials. Over six tons of
\ndry resin from Krui are exported. Krui's income from resin is
\nestimated at Rp 21 billion a year.<\/p>\n
Sadly, the Krui resin industry faces problems connected with
\nan excessively long supply chain, the replacement of resin trees
\nwith oil palms and the use of synthetic resin by major industrial
\nusers, which has lowered the price of resin.<\/p>\n
To the coastal people of Krui, the repong damar not only
\nprovide income, but are part of their heritage and must be
\nmaintained for their high economic and historical value. They
\nhave proven that conserving forests by upholding tradition is far
\nmore rewarding than simply airing highfalutin slogans.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp17damar-1447899208",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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