Mamas are Guarding the Forests of Mbeliling

Instead of men, women are watching over Puar Lolo forest in West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara. Every inch of change in nature is recorded in order to keep it under control.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

Housewives who are members of the Kembang Mekar Group in Golo Damu village, Mbeliling district, West Maggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara, monitor natural services in the Puar Lolo forest area, Friday (2/8/2019). The group, which is accompanied by the Indonesian Bird Foundation, regularly monitors, records and documents changes that occur around forest areas, water sources, as well as agriculture to prevent damage. This activity produces benefits for the preservation of bird habitat and other biodiversity.

After taking notes of the rate of water flow, Skolastika M. Ermina, 57, opened the previous page in her notebook that held the records for 2018. It was noted that at the time, 1 liter of water was fully filled within seven seconds, which is four seconds longer. The higher water flow rate is good news for residents of Golo Damu village, Mbeliling district, situated at an altitude of 700 meters.

Now, they no longer have difficulty obtaining clean water during the dry season. Until two years ago, residents of the village, which has a population of 860, had to descend to valleys to find water springs in the nearest village. The water spring of Wae Ndame, one of their sources of clean water, has dried up because of massive tree felling and hunting in Puar Lolo forest.

The cutting of wood for household furniture, slash and burn practices, aloe wood hunting and the rooting out of cinnamon trees have reduced the area’s water resources. This condition is worsened by widespread bird hunting. In fact, nature has assigned birds to “replant” trees through the seeds slipping from their beaks or their droppings. The ecosystem in this zone is no longer balanced, either.

It’s never too late to start. This is for the sake of our future generations.

Residents, especially housewives, who in their household chores have to make available clean water for cooking and washing, have felt a far heavier burden.

“Water springs only flowed in little drops, which would gradually cease to drip. When they do, where do we have to search for? It’s never too late to start. This is for the sake of our future generations,” said Skolastika, recalling the previous condition to the Kompas Daily’s Wallace Expedition Team in early August 2019.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

Housewives who are members of the Kembang Mekar group in Golo Damu village, Mbeliling district, West Maggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara, monitor natural services in the Puar Lolo forest area, Friday (2/8/2019). The group, which is accompanied by the Indonesian Bird Foundation, regularly monitors, records and documents changes that occur around forest areas, water sources, as well as agriculture to prevent damage. This activity produces benefits for the preservation of bird habitat and other biodiversity.

Periodically, since 2009, housewives in the Kembang Mekar Group have been engaged in an activity called Monitoring Nature’s Service. They collectively enter the forest to observe water springs, plant trees, examine the condition of trees and monitor birds. They follow up their findings or report them to relevant authorities if there’s any forest damage.

“In 2014, a company felled trees and cleared the land on water springs. We reported this to the forestry office and they finally left. Some people once also caught birds, we asked them to leave. It’s our forest,” said Skolastika.

The primary school graduate is now heading a group of 38 members, comprising 28 women and 10 men.

The group was formed in 2008 with 24 members, all housewives. It was originally meant to be a credit savings business. Many children in the village, around 35 kilometers east of Labuan Bajo, the capital of West Manggarai regency, had to bury their aspirations because of their parents’ economic constraints. If they had to find a way, they were forced to borrow some money from loan sharks at the lending rate of 5 to 10 percent.

Furthermore, dozens of farmers’ children from Golo Damu have earned degrees and secured employment.

Through the credit savings business with starting capital worth Rp 700,000 (US$49.62), the fund has now increased to Rp 57 million. Furthermore, dozens of farmers’ children from Golo Damu have earned degrees and secured employment.

Hanging on the walls of their house, pictures of their children dressed in university robes are displayed. A lot of youths from the village are studying in Yogyakarta, Jakarta, Malang in East Java, Kupang in East Nusa Tenggara and Makassar in South Sulawesi. Others are also working outside Flores.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

Housewives who are members of the Kembang Mekar Group in Golo Damu village, Mbeliling district, West Maggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara, prepare to monitor natural services in the Puar Lolo forest area, Friday (2/8/2019). The group, which is supported by the Indonesian Bird Foundation, regularly monitors, records and documents changes that occur around forest areas, water sources, as well as agriculture to help prevent damage. This activity produces benefits for the preservation of bird habitats and other biodiversity.

Priority region

One year after undertaking the credit savings business, the group was connected with the Burung Indonesia network, an NGO focusing on nature conservation. Training for Monitoring Nature’s Service was more intensively conducted. Members were asked to guard the forest and grow trees and given tools to monitor birds and measure the water flow rate.

“Housewives are part of a vulnerable group. When clean water is used up, they have to search for water on foot. So, they should be the first to be tended to. Women have the advantage of higher solidarity and greater focus while working,” said Tiburtius Hani, program manager of Burung Indonesia in Flores.

Burung Indonesia had no trouble organizing the women because they had already developed together as a group.

Read more : They Eventually Stop Hunting…

Puar Lolo forest covers Mbeliling with an area of 94,000 hectares. Of the total area, about 73 percent is in forest form and the remainder is composed of farmland, settlements and savannas. Mbeliling’s landscape includes 34,000 ha of protected forestland.

Mbeliling receives special attention due to its vital function of balancing nature in western Flores. This region is home to over a dozen endemic bird species partly in the endangered status, such as Flores eagles (Spizaetus floris) and Flores owls (Otus alfredi).

Besides, Mbeliling serves as an important source of water for agriculture as well as the daily needs of local people, especially in Labuan Bajo, a fast growing tourist city.