Vanishing Jambi forests can still attract tourists
Vanishing Jambi forests can still attract tourists
Warsi, a non-governmental organization based in Bangko (about
300 kilometers west of Jambi) that works to protect the Jambi
forests and the Kubu jungle people, sponsored a media tour to
Bukit Duabelas from July 25 through July 30. The Jakarta Post
journalist Pandaya shares the thrill of touring the jungles.
BANGKO, Jambi (JP): The four-wheel drive jeep with six people
on board rocked through the night under a full moon in the middle
of nowhere.
Sorolangun, the last transit subdistrict town, was two hours
away into the jungle. No city lights could be seen flickering on
the horizon.
The tough 20-year-old Toyota "hardtop" bounced over big
potholes and crashed through ditches in the dirt road that
logging companies had opened to ship timber out of the forest.
Our eyes were glued to the path ahead to anticipate when the jeep
would jump over the deep crater-like holes.
Oil palm plantations, bushes and desert-like landscapes
dominate the dim midnight views throughout the uncomfortable off-
road journey.
The loss of the tropical forests, dubbed the "lungs of the
Earth", was the reason for us to be here in the middle of the
night.
The area was part of Bukit Duabelas, formerly a thick tropical
jungle, which has now mostly been "converted" into industrial
forest estates (HTI). Some areas have been planted with oil palm,
rattan, rubber or trees suitable for making paper.
HTI projects have been widely blamed for the fast loss of
Jambi forests because they cut trees indiscriminately and replace
the rich biodiversity with monoculture cash crops.
The farther we went, the nastier the paths the old jeep had to
take. Now and then the vehicle had to crash through ponds of
knee-deep mud. Sometimes the jeep refused to move, as the front
wheels would be buried in the mud while the rear wheels rotated
wildly, spraying mud into the cabin and onto the faces of
passengers.
Confusion would reign when we got to an intersection. Our
guide, Agus, a Warsi activist who was unfamiliar with the area,
would get down and talk into his walkie-talkie, contacting his
friends who were waiting at the base camp we were heading for.
When the base camp was only a few kilometers away, we came to
the worst section of the road. Our driver, Tarlin, asked people
from the camp to come with a pickup truck to tow the jeep in case
it got bogged.
Tarlin made good his claim as a talented "off-roader" and
nothing happened. Although the path was extremely tough, the
Padang man remained cool as cucumber and retained his sense of
humor.
While shifting gear for a narrow uphill path, he started
telling a joke about the time, years ago, when he lived as a
"highway man" in Jakarta. Brawling, drinking, extorting money and
"free sex" was all his world then.
"One day my wife was told I had messed around with other
women," his story began.
"Amazingly, she wasn't mad with me. Instead, she told her
friend, metaphorically, 'I don't mind if he spills his beer
everywhere, so long as I can have the bottle back'."
As we neared the camping ground, we began to see forested
areas and the occasional glow of resin lamps in the distance. It
was the isolated huts of the Kubu (or the "jungle people" as the
tribespeople love to call themselves).
According to Warsi, 1,024 of 2,670 Kubu across Jambi reside in
Bukit Duabelas. They are the immediate victims of the unchecked
looting of the forest, from where they gather wild rattan, resin
and honey, hunt animals and grow tubers.
The Kubu are largely despised by other ethnic groups in Jambi.
The inner Kubu wear only loin cloths while the outer Kubu have
extensive contact with people of other ethnic groups and dress
"properly".
Our base camp was erected by an advance team by the small
Kejasung Kecil river at the foot of Bukit Duabelas hill, which
remains a "Biosphere Reserve". It is the last bastion of the
jungle people.
The river runs shallow and the water was forever cool and
crystal clear. We used it for all purposes: bathed in it and
boiled it for drinking and cooking.
Tumenggung Mija, a Kubu tribal chief who with his men
accompanied us during our three-day visit to the jungle,
repeatedly assured us the water was "absolutely safe".
But every time we bathed, we would warn each other to watch
out for "yellow submarines" (as we humorously referred to human
waste) silently floating by. This was likely because other
members of the expedition used the upstream section of the river.
Tours to the Biosphere Reserve were especially great, where
Mija and his men could tell you the name and uses of practically
everything growing in the jungle.
Timber bandits have apparently encroached on the Biosphere
Reserve forest, too. A number of huge, straight meranti trees had
been felled and cut into logs with a chainsaw. The unfortunate
timber waited for trucks to collect it.
The Biosphere is one of the ecotourism destinations that the
Jambi provincial government is promoting. Jambi has three
national parks to offer to tourists: Kerinci Seblat in the west,
Bukit Tigapuluh in the north and Berbak in the east. The
Biosphere lies in the middle.
It represents the ecosystem of low-lying tropical forests. The
26,800-hectare hilly area is preserved as Jambi's most important
water catchment area. Major rivers such as Kejasung Kecil,
Kejasung Besar, Makekal and Air Hitam -- all of which empty into
Batanghari River -- have their origins here.
Researchers say the flora and fauna endemic to Jambi can be
found in the Biosphere. Last year, a government team of
researchers found 134 plants there they believe have healing
properties.
For generations after generations, the jungle people have
harvested the forest products for their survival. The area is
home to highly endangered species like the Sumatran tiger, deer,
bear, tapir and hornbill.
Honey
One of the main jungle attractions was when a Kubu climbed a
tall tree to demonstrate how the Kubu harvest honey.
The actual job is done at night when the bees cannot see the
torch-wielding climber. The bee hives are collected in a basket
and lowered with a string. The tribesman can harvest several
quintals of hives from each tree.
The Jambi provincial government has included the jungle people
on its list of tourist attractions. This policy has met strong
criticism from local environmental and rights activists, who
accuse the government of selling the people's dignity.
Environmental groups like Warsi have proposed that the Bukit
Duabelas Biosphere be developed into a tourist spot by protecting
the ecosystem and giving the jungle people training to
demonstrate their "traditional wisdom" in preserving nature.
The nomadic people have been the government's favorite
scapegoats is discussions of forest destruction. And this tactic
has applied everywhere across the republic.
According to activists helping the Kubu defend their jungle
from the timber traders, the jungle people have lived for
hundreds of years in the forest. But deforestation began only in
the 1970s when the government began to sell the forests in the
name of national development.
They use wood only for basic purposes such as building houses,
and felling of trees is strictly regulated. Tree felling is not
permitted without the tribal chief's consent.
Jungle trekking along Kejasung Kecil river in Bukit Duabelas
was a great experience. The main attraction was the undisturbed
jungle and the Kubu and Malay people at work in the forest.
You could also explore the virgin jungle along the river on
wooden rafts the tribespeople can help to build.
Warsi has been working on an ecological tour to Bukit
Duabelas. One of the packages offered is a day-long visit to the
Biosphere forest near the jungle people's homes.
The thrill of our six-day jungle tour continued on our way
back to Jambi. We could experience a daylight view of the vast
spooky denuded land and oil palm plantations we saw when we
arrived.
As the convoy of jeeps roared out of the jungle and reached an
asphalted road, the adventure turned dreadful. The drivers began
to race against each other like they had been possessed by the
jungle's evil spirits.
Throwing up lumps of earth stuck to the wheels and the
mudguards all the way, the dirty speeding vehicles became a huge
attraction in the streets. The drivers amused each other by
flashing their headlights and honking as they overtook one
another.
It seemed like a trip to hell. But, relieved, we eventually
arrived at the hotel in Jambi without anybody losing any limbs.