Rawa Lakbok is transforming into a paddy land. The peat soil is often mined to grow fungi and ornamental plants.

Whenever the word “peatland” comes out in Indonesia, the first location that comes to mind is Sumatra island or Kalimantan. However, in 1933, a Dutch researcher, Betje Polak, concluded that Java island too once had peatland in Rawa Lakbok, Ciamis, West Java.

The results of Polak’s study was published in 1949 and indicated that the peat in Rawa Lakbok was formed from wood-based materials and rain forest. This has resulted in the difference between peat in this location and in the other general peat location.

Currently, Rawa Lakbok is transforming into a paddy field. In accordance with a map published by the Coordinating Body of National Survey and Mapping (now Geospatial Information Agency-BIG) in 1999, the soil in this location is incept sols. Based on the research by Polak, three Indonesian researchers: Budi Sumawawinata, Budi Mulyanto, and Nia S. Sunarti conducted a review study and produced a journal article titled “Land Use Evolution of Peatland in Rawa Lakbok, West Java” in 2004.

Rural atmosphere in Rawa Lakbok, Ciamis, West Java, what was once peatland now has transformed into a paddy land. (Photo: Hans Joosten)

According to the report of these three researchers, apart from farming, a distinctive activity in Rawa Lakbok is mining peat soil. The mined peat is then used to grow fungi or ornamental plants.

Meanwhile, from the ecological perspective, mining peat soil is purposely done to decrease the surface soil to prevent drought in the dry season.

“The peatland is now mostly covered by sedimentary clay. Under this sedimentary clay, the peat layer is still well maintained and shows remnant vegetation such as fern leaves, tree, and bushes,” said Hans Joosten, Professor on Peatland Study and Paleoecology from Botanical Institute and Landscape Ecology, German.

During a discussion with National Geographic Indonesia at the end of February 2013, Joosten is interested in Rawa Lakbok and its potential for peat. When visiting the location, Joosten estimated the size of peatland in Rawa Lakbok has not decreased since 1930s which was around 3,000 hectare.

Layer of peat in Rawa Lakbok, Ciamis, West Java, what remains and is often dug by local community to open land. In the background is a blue hat used by farmers who are still digging (Photo: Hans Joosten)

The local community is well aware of the existence of peat in their area. One of the indications is when they open the land, they are prepared to scrape the peatland with hoes.

It was suggested by Joosten to conduct a thorough investigation about the size, depth, and deposits of peat in Rawa Lakbok. The investigation should involve a paleoecology research to find out the history of the area.

“Also give the real restoration of peat vegetation, so the present and future community knows how the area looked like in the past,” suggested Joosten. (Zika Zakiya)

National Geographic Indonesia