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European Journal of Applied Sciences – Vol. 11, No. 6
Publication Date: December 25, 2023
DOI:10.14738/aivp.116.16072
Adi, B. T. S., Supriyanto, B., Nailus, F., Heriyanti, L., Ilham Mustofa, I., & Firdaus (2023). Cultural Construction of the Tamambaloh
Apalin Dayak Community for Sustainable Forest Management. European Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol - 11(6). 251-269.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Cultural Construction of the Tamambaloh Apalin Dayak
Community for Sustainable Forest Management
Bambang Tri Sasongko Adi
Muhammadiyah University Malang
Bambang Supriyanto
Social Forestry and Environmental Partnership,
Ministry of Environment and Forestry and Nusa
Bangsa University, Bogor, West Java
Fajri Nailus
Pontianak
Lesti Heriyanti
Muhammadiyah University Malang
Ilham Mustofa, Ihyauddin
Muhammadiyah University Malang
Firdaus
Muhammadiyah University Malang
ABSTRACT
This writing explores the cultural construction of the Tamambaloh Apalin Dayak
community in the context of sustainable forest management. The research
methodology involves literature review, interviews with community figures, and
secondary data collection. Data analysis employs a qualitative descriptive
approach. In West Kalimantan (Indonesia), specifically in Kapuas Hulu District, the
indigenous Tamambaloh Apalin Dayak community has a territorial area that
traditionally serves as their living space. They have a strong relationship with
nature as a source of life, and their environment is closely tied to economic, social,
and cultural systems. They also have customary rules and institutions governing
social relations among the community and their environment. The research reveals
several significant findings. Firstly, the village of Sungai Uluk Palin, the residence of
the Tamambaloh Apalin Dayak community, is categorized as vulnerable to the
impacts of climate change. Threats from forestry and plantation concessions, forest
fire disasters, and a subsistence livelihood system contribute to their high
vulnerability. Secondly, this community possesses strong local wisdom in
preserving and conserving the forest, making it a crucial element in sustainable
forest management. This serves as an important asset for the community to
overcome their vulnerability. Thirdly, the traditional land ownership system is a
strength for the community to sustainably manage ancestral lands and achieve
economic benefits. Fourthly, official recognition of the existence and rights of the
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European Journal of Applied Sciences (EJAS) Vol. 11, Issue 6, December-2023
Tamambaloh Apalin Dayak community in forest management is necessary to
ensure they can optimally preserve the forest and obtain sustainable economic
benefits.
Keywords: Customary Forest, Dayak Tamambaloh Apalin, West Kalimantan, cultural
construction
INTRODUCTION
Background
Forests, as one of the critical elements of the Earth's ecosystem, provide infinite ecological,
economic, and social benefits. However, serious challenges such as climate change,
deforestation, and forest degradation indicate that the protection and management of forests
require a holistic and integrated approach. In this context, the concepts of Customary Forests
and Social Forestry have emerged as innovative solutions that not only involve communities in
the management of forest resources but also build their well-being and resilience amidst
climate change. Local knowledge related to forest resource management becomes a strength
that needs to be developed and supported through granting forest management rights to
indigenous communities.
This introductory chapter aims to introduce the concepts of Customary Forests and Social
Forestry as the main foundation of this writing. Customary Forests, a forest management model
involving local communities, and Social Forestry, a government initiative to empower
communities through knowledge-based forest management, are the primary focus in
addressing the challenges faced by forests and surrounding communities. Climate change is one
of the greatest global challenges faced by humanity today. Its impacts are felt not only at the
global level but also at the local level, especially by communities directly dependent on forest
resources for their livelihoods. This chapter will explain the global context of climate change
and its relevance to the need to involve communities in forest management. The community in
Sungai Uluk Palin village, as the research location, has a high level of vulnerability and low
adaptive capacity. The ranking of exposure and adaptive capacity indexes takes into account
factors such as the strength of community institutions, poverty levels, and the potential for
natural disasters such as drought, forest fires, and floods (Vulnerability Index Data Information
System [SIDIK], Ministry of Environment and Forestry, 2018). Customary Forests, a concept
involving local communities in forest management, offers an approach that can build ecological
sustainability and social well-being. This research will also discuss the essence of Customary
Forests, its underlying principles, and how this model can be an effective solution to address
the challenges of climate change. Finally, this research explores into Social Forestry schemes, a
government policy to empower communities in forest management, playing a key role in
providing access, rights, and responsibilities to communities.
Research Objectives
The objectives of this research are to: (1) explain the profile of the Tamambaloh Apalin Dayak
Customary community and traditional systems related to tenure systems and local wisdom in
forest management; (2) assess the vulnerability of the community and the potential of nature
that can be developed based on local knowledge; and (3) explore how Social Forestry programs
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Adi, B. T. S., Supriyanto, B., Nailus, F., Heriyanti, L., Ilham Mustofa, I., & Firdaus (2023). Cultural Construction of the Tamambaloh Apalin Dayak
Community for Sustainable Forest Management. European Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol - 11(6). 251-269.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.116.16072
can be a solution, accommodating local knowledge and designing community empowerment
programs for their economic improvement.
THEORY FOUNDATION
Human Ecology
The relationship between humans and nature can be explained through the concept of human
ecology. Ecology is the study of the household of living organisms (oikos), a term first
introduced by Ernst Haeckel in 1869 (Odum 1983:2). Within the scope of ecology, there is the
concept of synecology that encompasses interactions among more than one type of living
organism, such as in forest ecology involving various plant and animal species, and autecology
that discusses the ecology of a single living organism, such as the ecology of the Anoa (endemic
mammal species of Sulawesi), Maleo bird (endemic bird species of Sulawesi), to human ecology
(Utina and Baderan 2009).
According to Purnaweni (2022), human ecology is an effort to understand the reciprocal
relationship between living organisms, both plant and animal, and their environment through
various ecological research and studies. This concept is then expanded to investigate the
impacts of interactions between humans and the environment. There are two main aspects that
are the primary focus of human ecology, namely: (1) The study of the form and development of
communities, and (2) The study of the development of societies and their interactions with the
environment as a whole. In this context, research on the behaviour of the Tamambaloh Apalin
Dayak community falls within the scope of human ecology. In the discussion section, the human
ecology approach is widely used to explain the interaction between humans and the forest in
the Tamambaloh Apalin Dayak community (Efriani, et al., 2020).
Community Participation
Understanding the interaction between the community and the forest and building local culture
to enhance forest management are inseparable aspects of how the Tamambaloh Apalin Dayak
community collaboratively engages in the management of forests in their region. Sungai Uluk
Palin village is located within the administrative boundaries of North Putussibau sub-district
and Kapuas Hulu district. The forest area in Sungai Uluk Palin village is also part of the Forest
Management Unit (FMU) of North Kapuas Hulu. Therefore, forest management in this area
essentially involves the participation of various parties. According to Dwiningrum (2002:50)
and Kaligis et al. (2021), participation includes the involvement of individuals or groups in
various activities, with such involvement being mental, emotional, or physical, utilizing all the
abilities they possess and providing support to achieve goals and responsibilities for that
involvement.
Participation can also be interpreted as the active involvement of an individual or group
(community) consciously contributing voluntarily to development programs. They are
involved from the planning stage to implementation, monitoring, and evaluation (Hajar et al.,
2018). Participation reflects the community's involvement in identifying problems and
potentials in their environment, making decisions about possible solutions, and engaging in
efforts to address issues. Additionally, participation also involves the community in the
evaluation process of the changes that occur (Isbandi, 2007).