Development of the Dayak Ngaju Community Forest in the Forest and Peatland Area, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

Peat swamp forests are one type of swamp forest that is specific and fragile ecosystems. In order peatland forest ecosystem formed thousands of years, no damage then peatland management should be done wisely by considering the social, economic and cultural as well as ecological functions that peat swamp forest conservation can be guaranteed. This perspective is directly correlated with the paradigm of sustainable forest management. The paradigm explains that the use of natural resources based on the moral ethics that human and nonhuman components are subject to utilization with respect moral and responsible for human rights in addition to the biotic community, and abiotic that still exist and thrive naturally, so it does not compromise the use of the integrity, stability and beauty ecosystem. Dayak Ngaju who resided in forest and peatland in Central Kalimantan have noble values and local wisdom to the development of community forests in forest areas and peatlands. Moral behavior is implemented through the cultural norms carried by generations to support the success of the planting. This study tries to explore the values contained in the Dayak Ngaju cultural norms for development of comunity forests. Dayak Ngaju community forest development start of cultivation. To ensure the success of planting, Dayak Ngaju very concerned about forest site selection will be opened with a consideration of the physical condition of the land,, which is given by the sign of the animals, and natural phenomena. Each activity in the development of community forests, ranging from land clearing, burning, planting, maintenance and harvesting time very concerned about governance. Dayak Ngaju people do in community forest development activities of mutual cooperation, better known as handep, namely employment with other farmers when working back breaking new ground. Based on the structure and composition of the forest vegetation of the people belonging to the community forest is not purely dominated by rubber sap its main results, and based on the diversity of species diversity in the types being classified with the value 2.4336. Estimated revenue generated from private forest landowners in the region of ex PLG Central Kalimantan in 2010 was Rp.31,898,257.67/ha/year. Key word: dayak ngaju, handep, structure and vegetation composition, and diversity.