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.