Air Bicara, a Cross-Community Ecological Awareness Initiative

KOMPAS/DEFRI WERDIONO

Hundreds of people from various communities plant trees in the Coban Talun forest area in Tulungrejo village, Bumiaji district, Batu city, East Java, at the start of October. The people, who are of various professional backgrounds, are seen working together in an activity called Water Talk, a culture-based cross-community social movement concerned with matters related to ecology.

Heavy clouds descended over the forest of Coban Talun in Tulungrejo village, Bumiaji district, Batu, East Java, on Sunday morning. Nevertheless, hundreds of men, women and children took part in a ceremony under the shade of pine trees to commemorate Pancasila Sanctity Day.

After the ceremony, members of the communities gathered to enjoy snacks and coffee. Hundreds of cups of local arabica and robusta specialty coffee were prepared by 31 Malang-based baristas.

The smell of coffee combined with the scent of flowers in Coban Talun forest, located six kilometers north of Batu. This was complemented by the cool mountain air, resulting from the rain in the preceding few days.

After eating noodles and drinking coffee, some of the children and adults went on to plant trees to improve the tree coverage of Coban Talun tourism area, located in the Brantas River watershed area.

On the other side of the camp, a youth band performed environmental songs. The event was concluded with a clean-up at Brantas Rivers’ upstream region on the slopes of Mt. Arjuna, which is 3,339 meters above sea level.

On the first day of camping, the campers took part in a number of environmental activities, including a selamatan (celebration ritual) at a water spring in Brantas River, an interfaith prayer and a discussion.

“This is a cross-community and cross-sector movement. We ask for everyone to participate. We wish to contribute by setting a good example and making a real effort to protect the environment,” Air Bicara coordinator Herman Aga said.

Ecological concerns

Since Saturday, representatives from more than 70 communities took part in the Air Bicara movement. Air Bicara is a social movement comprising members from numerous cultural communities who are concerned with ecological issues. The movement comprises communities of farmers, nature lovers, adventure sport enthusiasts, travelers, as well as government, military and police personnel.

The two-day camping trip aims at promoting the movement. Previously, Air Bicara also held a river clean-up activity called Sapu Bersih Sampah Nyemplung Kali (Saber Pungli; Total Clean-up of River Waste).

Saber Pungli was held every Sunday at several rivers in Batu. It has been held four times and the plan was to continue the weekly activity for one year. Through Saber Pungli, community members pick up all kinds of river waste, including plastics, disposable baby diapers and even mattresses.

“We started this activity in Batu as it is Brantas Rivers’ point of origin. Java’s second-longest river flows from here to more than a dozen regencies and cities,” Herman said, adding that he hopes the Air Bicara movement can be a prototype to be developed in 14 other regencies and cities in East Java where Brantas River flows through.

Batu-based environment and farmers’ advocacy agency Pusaka Foundation director Bambang Parianom said movements like Air Bicara encourage the public to be more caring for the environment and take part in finding solutions for ecological problems. Air Bicara can invite many people from diverse backgrounds to work together to improve the environment.

Degradation

Bambang said the impact of development on the environment was undeniable. Brantas Rivers’ upstream region was transformed into agricultural land. Deforestation was rampant in the early years of the Reform Era between 1998 and 1999. Local were overly enthusiastic on the government’s “forest for the people” policy by rampantly cutting down trees in Brantas’ upstream region. As a result, the forest there has been decimated.

The turning point was when deforestation caused a flash flood in Sumberbrantas village, the highest village in Batu, in Bumiaji district in 2004.

“Another impact was the decreased number of water springs. There were more than 114 water springs in Batu. Now, only half of them still remain. In the dry season, Brantas Rivers’ water depth decreased as farmers built a dam and diverted water to irrigate their farms,” Bambang said.

Environmental awareness

According to Bambang, the once-damaged forest is now recovering. Local farmers and environmental communities are planting various fruit trees, including jackfruit, coffee and guava on barren lands owned by state forestry company PT Perhutani. “Locals benefit from this reforestation program,” he said.

Apart from Perhutani forests, Brantas Rivers’ upstream region also houses the 27,868-hectare Raden Soerjo People’s Forest Park (Tahura) that serves as a conservation zone in the heart of East Java. The pristine forest spans through six regencies and cities, namely Batu, Malang, Pasuruan, Mojokerto, Jombang and Kediri.

The forest park comprises 7,490 hectares for core protection, 18,614 hectares for plant and animal conservations, 291 hectares for public use, 372 hectares for traditional activities, 1,072 hectares for rehabilitation and 14.7 hectares for history, culture and religious activities.

Perhutani Malang administrator Arif Herlambang said the once-deforested forest was now recovering due to Perhutani’s reforestation program. Other agencies participating in the program include Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA), the Brantas Wastershed Office, Raden Soerjo People’s Forest Park and local agencies and residents.

“People’s movements like Air Bicara have an important role in restoring the once-damaged Perhutani lands. Reforestation efforts in watershed areas can reduce sedimentation,” he said.