| Summary: | This is a study about the ethnoecology of peat, caused by carbon emission.
In the villages of Mantangai Hulu, Katimpun, Sei Ahas and Katunjung of Kapuas
District, Central Kalimantan, where the peat is considered very damaged by the
failure of a mega project named PLG (Pengembangan Lahan Gambut--Peat Land
Development), the REDD+ (Reducing Emission Deforestation and Degradation)
scheme was established through the KFCP (Kalimantan Forest Climate
Partnership) project. Various programs are being done to revitalise the condition
of the peat forests.
This study aims to observe the local society's perspective on the condition
of the peat land around their living area. The society has lived in million hectares
of peat land for generations, so they must have produced a knowledge system on
the condition and resources of peat. The ethnoecology study was chosen to
express the views of the society, which are consisted in the collective knowledge
system. By describing peat as how the subjects of research see it, classifications
are formed as a mirror for knowledge. The results conclude that the society have
already differentiated soil types: clay and peat. They then differentiate the types of
land. On the other hand, the element of 'seasons' also effect the society's
knowledge system on the condition of peat land, so then they also acknowledge
the conditions of 'sunken' and 'burnt'.
From this knowledge system about peat, the local society acts in utilising
peat resources. The fact is, peat has very varied resources, starting from using its
water, thin and thick peat, which are still in the forests or already burnt. This
condition encourages the implementation of the society's various activities. In this
study, the activities are described to show how useful and how far peat resources
are used by the local society. Aside from that, the concept of ritual is also revealed
alongside the way in which the society thinks about the economic value and
productivity of peat. The society's concepts strengthens the uses and resources of
peat.
In the end, however the condition of peat is now, the subjects of research
still preserve and embrace a local knowledge that they own about peat. All the
interventions done by projects or other parties will not easily erase their
knowledge and stop their behaviour in utilising peat resources. This is why the
study of ethnoecology is chosen to bridge upon the external interests, especially
the REDD+ KFCP program in understanding the local society's perspective about
peat and its issues.
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