MENGGALI HIDUP DI BALIK HITAMNYA GAMBUT: SEBUAH KAJIAN ETNOEKOLOGI

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