Category: Cibening

In 2003, from total 100% of Perhutani’s teak forest land in Java, around 76% was production forest and mostly teak wood. The remaining 24% is a protected forest, tourism forest as well as nature reserves.

Teak plantation or teak forest has an economic function and a non-economic function. An important non-economic function is as a buffer for the ecosystem. Teak tree canopy can absorb and decompose pollutant substances and excess light. The canopy of teak trees also carries out the process of photosynthesis which can absorb carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen and water vapor back into the air. All of these processes are very helpful in maintaining a stable climate inside or outside the forest. In addition, teak trees also help fertilize the soil, the roots of teak trees grow wide and deep so that they can loosen the soil, water and air can easily enter it. Twigs, leaves, fruit and flowers that fall will cover the soil surface and become litter and litter will process into soil humus. The litter will also absorb rainwater so that the soil is protected from erosion.

The teak forest area is definitely green with cool climate and has a higher biodiversity compared to other forest areas. A green environment will invite many animals to stop by, one of which is a bird. If an area is frequently visited by birds, it is a sign that the area is a little or even less polluted.

And what is more important than all that is that the green area will become a resource reserve in the future.

In the middle of the year the season has changed, the rains have started to rarely fall, the teak leaves have also started to fall and the soil at the plantation is brown covered with dry leaves. The air in there is still fresh and breezy, but every now and then a warm breeze blow.

The walk from Cibening village to the Goldteak plantation is only 15 minutes, but during the day you will sweat. The road to the plantation is uphill, it is a challenge for all ages to go up to the plantation. We can walk slowly or even stop for a while to take a breath to rest and drink water before continuing.

The happy thing is when we arrive at the plantation, we can rest and drink water or tea and eat some snacks at Parid’s house. By washing face, hand and feet with water from the well, we will feel refreshed.

The water from the well near Parid’s house is clean, fresh and slightly cold. Usually, the water is used for bathing, washing clothes and watering plants. And for drinking, Parid and his family take water from the water spring at a higher place near his house.

By the time the river started to dry up, the well at Goldteak plantation is still plenty of water.

The average age of houses in the plantation is about ten years, because the houses are made of wood, bamboo and are semi-permanent. The house is designed complete with a bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom, there is also a well, in front of the house there is a porch.

The purpose of making a house in the plantation, first is for workers who will supervise the plantation and care for the plants. Workers live in that houses usually brings their families, but it is also possible that they just live there without families because they should live near their children’s school.

Second, a place to stop to rest during the day, have lunch and pray, and in the afternoon before going home to drink coffee or change clothes.

The previous workers who stayed at rumah kebun in Bumisari were Ajat, Rian, Edu and now is Sobar. They worked since the beginning of the new garden was opened and the plants were also just planted. They live not far from the garden with their extended family, but they prefer to live in the garden house because they are only with their children and wife.

Currently the condition of the house in Goldteak plantation in Bumisari is no longer habitable because it is damaged and collapsed. Because Sobar lives close to the garden, he doesn’t need a place to live or a shelter in the plantation.

People need a bridge to cross the river than they should turn around, so it will be more efficient and easy. Kampung Cibening has two bridges, a large bridge and a small one. The people of Cibening village have to cross the bridge if they want to leave the village to the main road or vice versa from the main road to enter the village.

The bridge is very important for the villagers because they can freely carry out their activities and move in and out of the village without having to pass through other villages. In addition, bridges can also help the development of the village.

During this time the bridge has been repaired many times because it was broken due to water abrasion which shifted the bridge’s supporting foundation.

The Village Head has been trying to get the budget through village funds or APBD funds (local government fun), so that the repairs this time can be maximized and the condition of the bridge will be stronger. It is hoped that the working will be completed as soon as possible. Together with the villagers, the contractor will work fast and use lower budget because the villagers will work voluntarily. As before, the Village Head also invited PT Goldteak to contribute the improvement and development this time.

The guardians are workers who have loyally been working for Goldteak plantation and they take cares for teak trees and other trees since they started clearing the land until now when the trees are more than 15 years old.

The guardians mostly live in kampung Cibening, in the same place as the plantation. Only one or two guardians live outside kampung Cibening, but not far.

They are all married, have children who are still in school and some of them have grandchildren already. On average they have big families, not only wives and children, but also children-in-law and their parents still live with them.

The people who live in the village generally work for a plantation, rice field, cassava or banana farms or the younger ones work in factories around the village.  For women, they are usually housewives or works as house maids or baby sitters in the cities.

Children start attending primary school at the age of 6 or 7, they do not attend kindergarten. There is no kindergarten in the village, but there is an Islamic school that provides early education before entering elementary school, called the PAUD (early childhood education).

This last thirteen years, all elementary school students continue to junior high school to get higher education. For those who want to work quickly, they will continue on to vocational education such as IT Vocational Schools, Agriculture Vocational Schools, Administration & Office Business Vocational Schools. Some of them continue on to Academy or University.

Because Goldteak concerns about workers welfare and children education, that’s why the guardians feel comfortable and safe working at Goldteak.

In January, rainfall was still high, it rains every day, in the morning and at night. Heavy and non-stop rains made the plantation feel wet and damp. Elephant grass and weeds grew rapidly throughout the plantation area, there was no empty space, all the ground was covered with dry leaves that were starting to rot and the grass were getting taller.

The work of the workers became more and more difficult, because they had to clean up the plantation in all areas, even in hard-to-reach places. Workers must be extra careful when working in the rainy season. They had to wear raincoats, boots and they had to step carefully do they did not slip on a slant.

The air in the rainy season feels fresh and the smell of leaves, flowers and soil became one, the smell of fresh leaves. Enjoyed the hot coffee and boiled cassava or bananas after returning from the plantation. The site manager, Zaini, always reminds and encourages the workers to stay healthy.

Last month there was a fairly strong earthquake in Cianjur Regency, West java. This earthquake with a magnitude (M) 5.6 had a very large impact. There were more than 300 people died, more than 10 people missing. There were more than 22.000 families who lost their homes due to heavy damage or collapse.

This earthquake was felt as far as kampung Cibening, 30 km from Cianjur and only caused landslides in several places. One of the places is in Goldteak plantation, right next to Kusnadi’s house, although the house did cot collapse but was heavily damaged.

Kusnadi together with some workers are repairing the house, he has to change the wall, the ceiling and the roof also to patch the cracked floor.

The bridge in Cibening village has been damaged several times and even broken and collapsed, repairs have been carried out many times, and now the bridge is damaged again, one of the sides of the bridge is broken and it cannot be passed by four-wheeled vehicles.

The bridge is used not only by motorcycles but also mini trucks. Mostly the mini trucks carry the harvests such as cassava, bananas but sometimes the mini trucks carry logs and beams. People in the village planted trees and when they need money, they cut them down and sell to the near sawmill.

Some of the villagers and donors jointly repaired the bridge. It takes several gabions to patch the broken side. Gabion, cement and sand was donated by donors, some of Goldteak’ workers came to help when they were off on Friday. After a few days, the bridge patch will be dry and four-wheeled vehicles will be able to cross the bridge again.

This year the summer is longer, from March to the end of October the weather is hot and dry. This week, it rained a few times as a sign that the rainy season was about to start.

Although summers are longer, teak trees survive heat, wind and disease. Teak leaves still look green and healthy, and the tree trunk looks sturdy.

The workers are still busy recounting the trees so that they can know whether the number of trees remains the same, there are no dead, fallen or diseased.

The plantation is maintained well by the workers, every day they do the routine activities. They remove dry leaves that piled up on the ground and clear the weeds so that they do not interfere with the growth of the teak trees.

Even though it has not rained in October yet, the water discharge in the wells is still high, this is an indication that Teak plantation that Teak plantation store plenty of water.

The peak of Summer is August and September, the air is hot and even the wind blows hot. The soil in the Teak plantation already looks brown, which means that dry leaves have fallen and covered the ground, there are less leaves still on the trees and the trees look tall.

Normally when walking in the plantation, among the trees, the cool breeze would feel refreshing, but in the hot season, the wind blew hot, and we were sweaty. A unique view every time we stand under the Teak trees, it feels like we are dwarfed and look up, the Teak trees are very tall.

Looking for Teak seeds is also an exciting activity, the seeds that fall are under the dry leaves which have piled up on the ground. Together with children, collecting the seeds become fun. Children are happy when we exchange their Teak seeds with sweets. The Durian trees begin fruiting, flowers and young fruit appear on the tree trunks. In previous years the flowers and small fruit were blown off by strong wind. Hopefully this year will be better and there will be more fruit are growing.