Kabut tipis menggantung di atas hamparan gambut Kahayan Hilir ketika matahari mulai naik. Tanah yang dulu menghitam karena kebakaran kini perlahan berubah warna. Hijau muda dari bibit-bibit baru muncul di sela sisa abu yang pernah menjadi saksi kebakaran besar tahun 2015 dan 2019.
Konteks inilah yang melatarbelakangi pelaksanaan Inisiatif Kahayan Hilir (IKH). KPSHK bersama masyarakat di empat Hutan Desa Gohong, Kalawa, Mantaren I, dan Buntoi berupaya memulihkan kembali fungsi hutan gambut yang mengalami kerusakan. Total kawasan hutan desa mencapai 16.245 hektare, dengan target restorasi seluas 3.551 hektare hingga tahun 2031. Sebanyak 1.420.400 pohon ditanam sebagai simbol komitmen pemulihan jangka panjang.
Sepanjang periode 2023 hingga 2025, gelombang penghijauan melanda empat wilayah dengan total ratusan ribu bibit yang berhasil ditanam. Desa Buntoi memimpin aksi ini dengan menanam 130.665 bibit, disusul oleh Desa Mantaren I sebanyak 76.477 bibit, Kelurahan Kalawa dengan 59.427 bibit, dan Desa Gohong sebanyak 50.853 bibit.
Namun, perjuangan tidak berhenti pada penanaman saja. Menyadari pentingnya keberlangsungan hidup tanaman, setiap wilayah aktif melakukan pemeliharaan intensif dan penyulaman untuk mengganti bibit yang mati. Di Desa Buntoi, sebanyak 25.263 bibit telah disulam, sementara Kelurahan Kalawa melakukan penyulaman pada 24.142 bibit. Langkah serupa juga dilakukan oleh Desa Gohong dengan 18.252 bibit serta Desa Mantaren I sebanyak 7.612 bibit. Inisiatif ini membuktikan bahwa semangat warga bukan sekadar menanam, melainkan memastikan setiap pohon tumbuh kuat untuk masa depan.
Penanaman bibit balangeran di areal Hutan Desa program IKH. Sumber foto: KPSHK.
Area tanam bahkan diperluas hingga puluhan hektar tambahan. “Kami seperti menanam kehidupan baru,” ujar Pirit, Ketua LPHD Mantaren I. Pernyataan itu bukan sekadar metafora. Bagi warga, setiap bibit adalah tanda bahwa lahan yang pernah dianggap mati masih punya masa depan.
Namun di gambut, menanam saja tidak cukup. Air harus dijaga. Ketika muka air tanah turun di bawah batas aman, risiko kebakaran meningkat. Data pemantauan menunjukkan beberapa titik pernah mencapai kedalaman lebih dari 70 sentimeter saat kemarau kondisi yang rawan api bawah-permukaan. Karena itu, sekat kanal, pemantauan tinggi muka air tanah, dan integrasi data curah hujan menjadi bagian penting dari upaya pencegahan.
Tim Penjaga Hutan (TPH) menjadi garda terdepan dalam menjaga hutan desa. Mereka berpatroli, mengamati biodiversitas, memastikan tak ada pembalakan liar, dan sigap memadamkan api jika muncul titik asap. Langkah mereka menyusuri jalur gambut adalah bentuk tanggung jawab kolektif menjaga ruang hidup.
Upaya ini juga diperkuat melalui pengembangan ekonomi berkelanjutan. Madu kelulut, rotan, hingga budidaya ikan patin bioflok memberi alternatif penghasilan bagi masyarakat. Dengan dukungan inkubator bisnis, usaha-usaha rintisan mulai menemukan arah.
Harapan tumbuh perlahan di Kahayan Hilir. Ia hadir dalam bibit yang bertahan hidup, dalam air yang tetap dijaga, dan dalam langkah-langkah warga yang kini berdiri sebagai penjaga hutan mereka sendiri.
Penulis: Alfian
A thin mist hung over the expanse of peatland in Kahayan Hilir as the sun began to rise. The land, once blackened by fire, was now slowly changing color. The light green of new seedlings emerged amidst the ash that had witnessed the massive fires of 2015 and 2019.
This context underpinned the implementation of the Kahayan Hilir Initiative (IKH). KPSHK, together with communities in four village forests: Gohong, Kalawa, Mantaren I, and Buntoi, is working to restore the damaged peatland forest. The total village forest area covers 16,245 hectares, with a restoration target of 3,551 hectares by 2031. A total of 1,420,400 trees were planted as a symbol of the long-term commitment to restoration.
From 2023 to 2025, a reforestation campaign swept across four regions, successfully planting hundreds of thousands of seedlings. Buntoi Village led the way with 130,665 seedlings, followed by Mantaren I Village with 76,477 seedlings, Kalawa Subdistrict with 59,427 seedlings, and Gohong Village with 50,853 seedlings.
However, the effort doesn’t stop at planting. Recognizing the importance of plant survival, each region actively carries out intensive maintenance and replanting to replace dead seedlings. In Buntoi Village, 25,263 seedlings were replanted, while Kalawa Subdistrict replanted 24,142 seedlings. Similar efforts were also undertaken by Gohong Village with 18,252 seedlings and Mantaren I Village with 7,612 seedlings. This initiative demonstrates that the residents’ passion goes beyond planting, but also ensures that each tree grows strong for the future.
Planting balangeran seedlings in the Village Forest area of ​​the IKH program. Photo source: KPSHK.
The planting area has even been expanded to dozens of additional hectares. “It’s like we’re planting new life,” said Pirit, Head of the Mantaren I Forest Management Agency (LPHD). This statement is not just a metaphor. For residents, every seedling is a sign that land once considered dead still has a future.
However, in peatlands, simply planting isn’t enough. Water must be conserved. When the groundwater level drops below a safe level, the risk of fire increases. Monitoring data shows that some areas have reached depths of more than 70 centimeters during the dry season, making conditions prone to subsurface fires. Therefore, canal blocking, monitoring groundwater levels, and integrating rainfall data are crucial parts of prevention efforts.
The Forest Guard Team (TPH) is at the forefront of protecting the village forest. They patrol, observe biodiversity, ensure there is no illegal logging, and swiftly extinguish fires if smoke appears. Their journey along the peatland path demonstrates a collective responsibility to protect the living space.
These efforts are also strengthened through sustainable economic development. Kelulut honey, rattan, and biofloc catfish cultivation provide alternative income sources for the community. With the support of a business incubator, startups are beginning to find their way.
Hope is slowly growing in Kahayan Hilir. It is present in the surviving seeds, in the water that remains protected, and in the steps of the residents who are now standing as guardians of their own forest.
Author: Alfian
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