 ![Abdul Wahab, a native of Ulak Batu village](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/ourstoryentity/8a83fd56-22da-4c46-9b41-4de21e26d9bb.JPG)

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Fearing that he could lose his home to floods and forest fires, Abdul Wahab, a native of the village of Ulak Batu in the Seruyan District of Central Kalimantan, had kept planting trees together with his fellow villagers.

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Now, the 55-year-old man with a long-sleeved red shirt covering his brown skin, stood waving at us from the muddy riverbank of the Seruyan River. He had been waiting for us under the warm sun for some time. However, despite his lean and aged physique, Wahab radiated positivity as he enthusiastically welcomed us.

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Abdul Wahab was born and raised in Ulak Batu as a native member of the Dayak community. Every day, he works as a fisherman to support his small family of four. He therefore spends most of his time on the banks of the Seruyan River. Even the location of his residence is close to the river. Everyone living in such proximity to the Seruyan River, including him, often experiences the adverse impact of floods, especially during heavy rainfall.

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"Our village often faces flooding. The worst was in 2021 when our village was submerged, and many of us had to evacuate. Our activities were hampered for four months during that time," Wahab explained, pointing his finger toward the flood-prone area.

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In addition to floods, Wahab also mentioned that his village had experienced several fires on their lands across 2015 and 2017, most of which had occurred during the dry season. The deteriorating natural conditions from fires and floods saddened Wahab, prompting him to his initiative to restore the degraded lands in his village.

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 ![Abdul Wahab monitoring a tree's growing progress.](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/ourstoryentity/9ac9ce37-5ae2-411f-be03-102a77194c47.jpeg)

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Within the Ecosystem Restoration activities, Wahab started planting more trees on the degraded lands of floods and fires in 2022. Soon, he realized that several tree species grow well in his village. He believes that these trees can reduce the occurrence of floods and forest fires at several points, and can even restore the environment to its original state. Hence, he felt compelled to actively participate in the restoration activities aimed at reviving the natural habitat of his village. His commitment to restoration actions also earned him the trust of his community to lead the restoration team.

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“We planted about 4,156 tree seedlings. These trees were selected based on their benefits, some for the environment, like the Balangeran tree, and others for economic purposes, such as fruit trees," Wahab explained.

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Wahab acknowledged the need for sustained project implementation and a more extended timeframe to realize the economic benefits of the restoration project for the local community: “The biggest challenge so far is bringing the seedlings to our village due to bad roads. However, our restoration team’s strong support and dedication always make us eagerly committed to protecting nature and realizing the well-being of our homeland.” \n 

Wahab reiterated that the success of the ongoing restoration efforts is owed to a collaboration with the village government, which granted the permission to borrow tools and water-spraying machines for seedbeds. Going forward, he hopes that the restoration activities can be expanded for the benefit of more village residents.

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 ![While held a giant jelutong tree, Abdul Wahab told his hopes toward the sustainability in Ulak Batu village.](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/ourstoryentity/b6e60464-851c-403f-9c4c-d3193aba733d.jpeg)

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Wahab also suggests that farmers in Ulak Batu did not rely solely on one type of agricultural or plantation commodity. Instead, he dreams of his village community trying to cultivate various plant species that bring economic benefits and contribute positively to the local environment.

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“I believe that one day, people in our village won’t have to worry when the rainy season arrives. And in the future, the various trees we planted can help improve the well-being of the people in Ulak Batu,” expressed Wahab, representing the hopes of every resident in his village.

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To learn more about Abdul Wahab’s inspiring journey in restoring the environment and protecting his village, watch the full story on our YouTube channel: [Click here to watch](https://youtu.be/2mwlodJsuAY?feature=shared).

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 \n *Writer: [A. Arif Wangsa](https://kaleka.id/person/a-arif-wangsa)*

 ![Abdul Wahab, a native of Ulak Batu village](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/ourstoryentity/8a83fd56-22da-4c46-9b41-4de21e26d9bb.JPG)

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Khawatir akan kehilangan rumahnya akibat ancaman banjir dan kebakaran hutan, Abdul Wahab, warga Desa Ulak Batu, Kabupaten Seruyan, Kalimantan Tengah, melakukan penanaman pohon bersama-sama dengan warga di desanya.

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Seorang pria umur 55 tahun, berkulit coklat dengan kaos lengan panjang berwarna merah tampak melambaikan tangannya ke arah kami dari tepian Sungai Seruyan yang berlumpur. Sedari tadi, ia berdiri di bawah hangatnya mentari untuk menunggu kedatangan kami. Penampilannya mungkin sangat sederhana dengan tubuh kurus serta perawakan yang sudah berumur, namun semangat positif Abdul Wahab terpancar ketika ia menyambut kedatangan kami dengan senyum yang antusias.

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Abdul Wahab merupakan masyarakat asli Suku Dayak yang lahir dan menetap sejak dulu di Desa Ulak Batu. Sehari-harinya, ia bekerja sebagai nelayan sebagai sumber mata pencaharian untuk menghidupi keluarga kecilnya yang beranggotakan empat orang. Pekerjaan tersebut tentu saja membuat Abdul Wahab lebih banyak menghabiskan waktunya di Sungai Seruyan. Selain itu, lokasi kediamannya juga berada tak jauh dari bantaran sungai tersebut. Masyarakat lain yang tinggal di pesisir sungai, termasuk Abdul Wahab, kerap kali harus merasakan dampak buruk dari banjir, terutama saat curah hujan sedang deras.

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“Desa kami sering dilanda bencana banjir. Yang paling parah, waktu tahun 2021, satu desa kami terendam sehingga masyarakat di sini harus mengungsi. Aktivitas kami juga menjadi terhambat selama empat bulan berturut-turut,” jelas Wahab sambil menunjukkan jari telunjuknya ke arah daerah rawan banjir.

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Selain bencana banjir, Abdul Wahab menceritakan tentang desanya yang juga beberapa kali pernah mengalami kebakaran hutan sepanjang tahun 2015 dan 2017. Kebakaran ini sebagian besar terjadinya pada musim kemarau. Kondisi desanya yang sangat memprihatinkan akibat kebakaran dan banjir ini membuat Abdul Wahab turut sedih dan prihatin. Hal inilah yang kemudian mendorongnya untuk berinisiatif dalam melakukan restorasi pada lahan terdegradasi di kampung halamannya.

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 ![Abdul Wahab monitoring a tree's growing progress.](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/ourstoryentity/9ac9ce37-5ae2-411f-be03-102a77194c47.jpeg)

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Abdul Wahab mulai melakukan penanaman pohon pada tahun 2022. Tak lama kemudian, ia menyadari bahwa beberapa jenis pohon dapat tumbuh dengan baik di desanya. Dia meyakini bahwa pohon-pohon tersebut dapat mengurangi terjadinya banjir dan kebakaran hutan di beberapa titik, bahkan juga dapat memulihkan lingkungan seperti semula. Oleh karena itu, ia merasa terdorong untuk berpartisipasi aktif dalam kegiatan restorasi yang bertujuan untuk menghidupkan kembali lingkungan desanya. Tekad serta komitmennya yang kuat juga membuatnya mendapatkan kepercayaan dari masyarakat di desanya untuk memimpin tim restorasi di Desa Ulak Batu.

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“Kami telah menanam sekitar 4.156 bibit pohon. Pohon-pohon ini dipilih berdasarkan manfaatnya, ada yang untuk lingkungan seperti pohon Balangeran, dan ada juga yang dapat dimanfaatkan untuk dijual seperti pohon buah-buahan,” jelasnya.

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Abdul Wahab mengakui perlunya implementasi kegiatan yang berkelanjutan dalam jangka panjang agar masyarakat di desanya dapat juga merasakan manfaat ekonomi dari kegiatan penanaman pohon tersebut. “Tantangan terbesar sejauh ini adalah membawa bibit ke desa kami karena kondisi jalan yang buruk. Namun, dukungan dan dedikasi kuat dari tim restorasi membuat kami selalu bersemangat untuk berkomitmen penuh dalam melindungi alam serta mewujudkan kesejahteraan masyarakat di desa kami,” ujar Abdul Wahab. 

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Ia kembali menegaskan, keberhasilan upaya restorasi yang dilakukan tidak lepas dari kerja sama dengan pemerintah desa yang memberikan izin peminjaman peralatan dan mesin penyemprot air untuk persemaian bibit pohon. Kedepannya, Abdul Wahab berharap agar kegiatan restorasi dapat diperluas untuk memaksimalkan dampak baik dari kegiatan tersebut.

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 ![While held a giant jelutong tree, Abdul Wahab told his hopes toward the sustainability in Ulak Batu village.](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/ourstoryentity/b6e60464-851c-403f-9c4c-d3193aba733d.jpeg)

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Abdul Wahab juga menyarankan kepada para petani di Desa Ulak Batu agar mereka tidak hanya mengandalkan satu jenis komoditas pertanian atau perkebunan saja. Ia menaruh harapan kepada penduduk di desanya agar berupaya dalam membudidayakan berbagai jenis tanaman. Hal ini agar keanekaragaman hayati dapat tercipta dan memberikan kontribusi positif terhadap kesejahteraan maupun lingkungan bagi masyarakat setempat.

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“Saya yakin suatu saat masyarakat di desa kami tidak perlu khawatir ketika musim hujan tiba. Selain itu, berbagai macam pohon yang kami tanam ini suatu saat dapat membantu dalam menyediakan tempat yang aman dan tenteram bagi masyarakat di Desa Ulak Batu,” ungkap Abdul Wahab dengan mewakili harapan setiap warga di desanya.

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*Penulis: [A. Arif Wangsa](https://kaleka.id/person/a-arif-wangsa)*

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