Barren land turned forest now in peril

Barren land turned forest now in peril

By Singgir Kartana

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Nine years ago the Gadingsari coast, some 3
kilometers west of the Samas coast, was a spread-out barren area
of dry and thick sand. It covered more than 30 hectares and went
north for two kilometers from the edge of the south coast. In the
afternoon the sun's rays burned the sand and stinging hot waves
filled the air. Grass, including coarse grass, hardly grew. The
area belonging to Gadingsari village, in Bantul regency,
Yogyakarta, was of little benefit to the population.

It was the deplorable condition of the area that moved Jaiman,
who was born 52 years ago in Wonoroto, a village located not far
from the coastal area. For days on end he thought of how to make
use of the vast expanse of land for the benefit of the people and
the farmers in the vicinity.

At the beginning of 1989, with patience and perseverance,
Jaiman, a junior high school graduate who lives as a farmer,
tried to cultivate the sandy soil with a variety of plants like
pandan (pandanus), shady trees such as akasia, (acasia) and waru
(Hiwicus tilaceus). Shortly after planting, the plants withered
and died even though he watered them morning and afternoon. The
dry sand area was deeper than two meters. Such a soil structure
accelerates the absorption of water. Therefore, after watering
the soil it will soon be dry again.

Initially Jaiman planted the vast expanse of soil by himself.
Only when the plants showed signs of growth did some of the
villagers offer their help. They joined forces to carry seeds and
fertilizer to the location of the planting. They dug wells to
obtain water for the plants.

Now the area of more than 15 hectares has become a forest
where various plants and trees grow, among them coconut trees,
pandanus, acasia, waru and sengon (Samanea saman).
On average the plants have grown five to seven meters. The
erstwhile hot atmosphere has changed into a shaded environment.
It resembles a garden in a beach area. Birds and other animals
previously invisible have started feeling at home in the area.
Every Sunday people go there for recreation.

With the existence of the man-made forest, the land around it
which was formerly arid can now be cultivated for various plants,
including both rice and other vegetables.

The work to turn the sandy soil green was not easy. Jaiman
faced numerous constraints at the time. Apart from natural
obstacles, there were social impediments caused by the mentality
of the community. The obstacles from nature were for example the
stinging intense heat of the sun, reaching 30 degrees centigrade
and higher. People were reluctant to stay long in the field let
alone to work the soil.

"A raw egg buried in the sand for two to three hours in the
afternoon would be cooked. I know how it feels when our feet
tread on the sand for two to three hours. Therefore the villagers
here were initially not attracted to cultivate the land," Jaiman
said.

Apart from the heat of the sun there was the thickness of the
sand layers that quickly absorbed water. He had to dig the upper
layers of sand in order to reach a layer with fertility. Then,
the sand which had been dug had to be set aside at some distance
to avoid sliding. Setting aside the upper layers of the sand was
not done once or twice, but almost every day, before planting.
Then, protective plants were planted. Jaiman's first protective
plant was the pandanus. When they reached a height of 30 cms,
other plants followed.

Windy

What made it difficult to plant seeds was the strong wind that
caused coastal sand grains to move. Therefore before planting the
main plants, Jaiman grew pandan as a hedge around the hole. These
tireless efforts on his own lasted almost two years. The other
villagers thought that it was not possible to cultivate the area.
They smirked, saying that it was the work of a lunatic.
Nevertheless, Jaiman was determined to do it by himself.

"I did the work because I followed my conscience. I could not
stand seeing the barren and dry land. Properly cultivated, the
vast area would bring many benefits to the people. That was
proven, was it not?" he said when The Jakarta Post paid him a
visit in his self-made small hut located in the middle of his
man-made forest.

His love of plants was already apparent when he was a child.
His father said that little Jaiman often went into the field to
join farmers in planting seeds. His dark skin and his bulging
muscles are indications of his familiarity with hard work and the
sun's intense heat. He can spend the whole day in the ricefield
under the scorching sun. His dedication to care for plants is
extraordinary.

"Before he tackled the sandy soil here, about 15 years ago he
had already made a forest in Lampung. It is inexplicable that
when a dense forest emerged, he left the place," said Mugiono, a
close friend who often helped Jaiman in cultivating the sandy
soil.

His love for nature is not limited to planting, he devotes
himself wholeheartedly to the care of the plants. It is proven by
the fact that today he still safeguards his self-made forest. In
the middle of the cool and peaceful forest, he has built a small
hut made of bamboo and wood, as a place to live. Jaiman, a modest
man who remains a bachelor, lives by himself.

The shaded Gadingsari forest and Jaiman's peaceful life are
not always free from disturbance. At the moment, not far from his
hut, a construction project for an irrigation dam is in progress.
It is certain that the initiative for the construction comes from
the Bantul regional administration. The project has taken part of
the forest. Trees must be felled. The sound of excavators does
not make Jaiman comfortable in his hut. However, he never
complains about the project. He prefers to remain silent in his
resignation.

Some day the area will be full of buildings. Apart from the
irrigation project there will soon be a shrimp pond to the west.
A harbor project is also in the offing. A tower has been erected.
A residential area has sprung up. The asphalted road to the
location has received an extra layer of bitumen.

"I am sure that this forest will soon be extinct. I can only
pray that the Kanjeng Sultan (meaning Sultan Hamengku Buwono X)
knows all this. This area belongs to the Sultan," said Jaiman.

He has done a job that deserves appreciation. Amid frequent
reports of the destruction of forests and the environment, there
is somebody who has -- of his own sincere belief -- dedicated his
life to forest conservation, without any economic considerations.