Worth Two Thumbs Up, Badui Community Guards 3,100 Hectare Protected Forest

A Badui elder who is also the Head of Kanekes Village, Leuwidamar District, Lebak Regency, Jaro Saija. (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Badui community in the interior of Lebak Regency, Banten Province is still maintaining a protected forest covering an area of ​​3,100 hectares as a gift from their ancestors.

"The condition of the protected forest is now green and sustainable," said the Badui elder who is also the Head of Kanekes Village, Leuwidamar District, Lebak Jaro Saija Regency in Lebak, as reported by Antara, Monday, October 25.

The Inner and Outer Badui communities have a commitment and responsibility to maintain the preservation of protected forests so that environmental damage does not occur.

Regarding the commitment and responsibility, he said, the Badui community is prohibited from cutting trees in protected forest areas.

He explained that the Badui people have an obligation to protect and preserve the forest, because if the protected forest is damaged, it can cause disasters, such as natural disasters.

Moreover, he said, the protected forest area at the foot of Mount Kendeng is an upstream area in Banten Province.

"I believe that if the protected forest is damaged, it can cause drought, water shortages, floods and landslides," he said.

According to him, the Badui community's customary rights settlement based on Regional Regulation (Perda) No. 32/2001 covers an area of 5,100 hectares, consisting of 3,100 hectares of protected forest and 2,000 hectares of settlements.

He assessed that until now the existence of protected forests is well maintained, even Badui residents carry out planting movements every year so that the forest remains green and provides survival for humans.

Therefore, he said, the Inner Badui people may work on agricultural fields on customary land rights, while the Outer Badui residents work on agricultural fields outside the Badui area, which is spread over 260 villages and 11 sub-districts.