Suyadi, 38, and Maselur, 42, two farmers who are members of the Salam Jati Forest Community Group (LMDH), cut twigs and dry leafs off a bamboo plant to prevent forest fires. The bamboo was planted in late 2015 in an effort to rehabilitate the forest area to save the water spring on the slope of Mount Wilis in Salamrejo village, Berbek district, Nganjuk regency, East Java, Saturday (8/7).
Decades ago, there was an abundance of water in Pamongan village, Mojo district, Kediri regency, East Java. As a result, the local villagers could easily manage their paddy fields. Now, in order to obtain clean water, they need to search for springs up on the mountain. Aware of their condition, the villagers are making efforts to save the existing springs by planting bamboo.
Saguh, 55, walked along a trail on the northern face of Mt. Wilis. Some 500 meters before reaching Parijoto waterfall, he stopped. He then turned left and walked toward a steep and rocky cliff. Below the cliff was a stand of young bamboo.
Saguh is a farmer and a member of the Kediri Forest Management Unit (BKPH). Along with other fieldworkers, he sowed the seeds of bambu petung (giant bamboo) in the forests on the northern slope of Mt. Wilis.
Saguh was motivated to plant the bamboo because of the hardship he experienced from having no access to clean water. The Village Community Council member of Pandan Sari Makmur Forest said that the water of the Bruni River that flowed in front of his house, used to be abundant and never dried up during the October-November dry season.
These days, however, the water of the Bruni River starts decreasing in April and the river is usually dried up by June. The Bruni River serves as the source of clean water for the surrounding villages and for irrigation. There are six villages that depend on the Bruni River.
Other than the continuously decreasing water level of the Bruni River, the villagers’ initiative to plant bamboo was also driven by their difficulties in finding a new source of water to fulfill their needs for clean water. Because Pamongan village is the highest village on Mt. Wilis, an 8-kilometer pipe provides the village with water.
This year, villagers will extend the water pipe to 23 kilometers to procure new water sources to meet the annually increasing need for clean water. The water, however, is only enough to meet their primary needs, such as drinking, bathing and washing clothes.
“If there is extra water, the people wish to develop cattle farming, as the weather is suitable. Animal feed is also abundant, but it has only gone to waste so far,” Saguh said.
Kediri BKPH assistant Hermawan said that the local forest area encompasses 12,649 hectares. Productive trees like pine are planted there to produce sap. The pine is intercropped with agricultural plants like cassava and corn.
Within the forest itself are around 400 springs. However, due to lack of development, their water levels have decreased by 30 percent. Some of the springs have even dried up. The Parijoto waterfall may have the potential for tourism development if it is managed properly.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation efforts are being conducted in order to restore the dry springs and the decreasing water level. This is done through planting stands of bamboo in the watershed of protected forest areas (KPS), especially in the upstream region of the Bruni River. Bamboo is also planted on the rocky slopes of Mt. Wilis to prevent erosion.
“Bamboo was chosen due to its various advantages. It is easy to grow and easy to manage. It can be planted in lowlands and highlands, it has a large number of long roots and it can penetrate the soil deeply,” Hermawan said.
Bamboo roots have plenty of bristles, as well as pores that can absorb and store water. Bamboo trees also have lush foliage so that its mulch can enrich the soil for retaining more rain water.
For instance, researches have shown that a stand of 20 bambu petung with an average height of 15 meters and a trunk diameter of 10 centimeters can conserve 391,224 cubic meter of water annually.
Hermawan said that bamboo is also economically valuable. A log of bambu petung with a 25-centimeter diameter is priced between Rp 50,000 and Rp 75,000. Bamboo can be harvested once they are five years old and harvesting can be done every day if a stand has many trees.
The efforts to rehabilitate the springs on the slopes of Mt. Willis have gained the attention of PT Gudang Garam. The tobacco giant, which owns a factory in both the city and regency of Kediri, is assisting by providing bamboo seeds and fertilizer as well as planting and maintenance costs. The company also helps in absorbing the village’s bamboo harvest as raw material for tobacco bags and a variety of handicrafts.
Gudang Garam spokesperson Iwhan Tricahyono said that the assistance has been continuously provided since 2015 and over 600 hectares of bamboo have been planted to date. Farmers and fieldworkers are involved in planting and maintaining the bamboo trees.
“The hope is that we can help rehabilitate the forest, especially the springs, and we can provide added value for the farmers and fieldworkers,” Iwhan said.
Improving
Although the bamboo planting program to save the springs of Mt Wilis is only two years old, local villagers are already beginning to feel its benefits. At least, according to Suyadi, 38, a farmer of the Salam Jati Luhur LMDH in Salamrejo village, Berbek district, Nganjuk regency.
“Before there was any bamboo, the riverbank often washed away during heavy rains and the river might flood. During this year’s rainy season, we had only a few landslides. In general, the bamboos are developing well. Some are already 7 meters high, even though they are only 2 years old,” he said.
Maselur, 42, another member of the Salam Jati Luhur LMDH, said he hoped the dry springs on the slopes of Mt. Wilis would fill up with water again by next year.
Water is like a precious jewel in the effort to maintain a sustainable ecosystem on the slopes of Mt. Wilis. A collective conservation effort that is sustainable, based on conscience and widely supported is necessary to protect the jewel.
