Photo and Writing by: Damayanti
The View in Sitombom
The year 2018 was an unforgettable moment when I moved to Batak Land. I was grateful that my dream of living in a rural area surrounded by mountains, hills, and forests was fulfilled. I had longed to live far from the noise, hustle, and crime of the city.
The city where I used to live was Medan. I was tired of the pollution and the hot weather. Not only that, I felt emotionally drained because of the intense competition in the city. I wanted to live where I wasn’t rushed by deadlines, where I could enjoy relaxing time and a peaceful atmosphere.
Once, I was venting to a coworker at school, saying, “I really hate the backstabbing at work.”
My friend replied, “Then you should live in the forest! So you won’t see the backstabbing in the working world!” His words echoed in my mind. That made me realize he was right.
Indeed, his words were true! Research shows that people who enjoy living in or exploring forests generally dislike the hustle and bustle of city life. They don’t like the artificial nature of the city.
My friend’s suggestion that I should live in the forest became a reality. I’ve now been living in Girsang for almost three years, in a village still close to a Protected Forest. At first, I thought my place of residence was ordinary, nothing special. But that perception has changed.
In 2019, I visited Medan to return to my mother’s house. As soon as I arrived in Medan, I immediately wanted to go back to Girsang. My body felt as if it was burning from the heat of the sun. It wasn’t just the hot weather and dust; the unpleasant smell also stung my nose. I was struggling to breathe and wanted to find the fresh, clean air like I had in Girsang.
I realized there was a huge difference between Medan and the Girsang Sipanganbolon area. I looked around and saw so many trees. It’s no wonder the air is so fresh and the view so beautiful. The presence of forests in Girsang provides me with a supply of oxygen every time I breathe. Realizing the benefits of the forest, I now feel a strong desire to support its preservation.
However, in 2021, on May 21, I witnessed a flood in Parapat, which is not far from Girsang 1. This wasn’t the first flood in Parapat. Since I moved to Samosir in 2018 and later to Girsang, I had seen frequent floods and landslides.
I was very curious about why Parapat experienced floods and landslides so often. What was going on? Later, I was shocked to see the condition of the Protected Forest in Sitahoan, Simalungun, located behind Girsang 1 Mountain.
I saw with my own eyes how the Protected Forest was being cleared and converted into farmland. To me, this was looting of the Protected Forest. But, it’s difficult to explain. It’s too complex to discuss here.
The Importance of Forests
At first, I thought my place of residence was just ordinary. But recently, I’ve been very grateful to live near the forest. I now realize how important forests are, especially as a source of food. There are many types of food from the forest that children often don’t know about.
Forests can be likened to pharmacies, warehouses, supermarkets, and other sources of food that provide everything humans need. In addition to being a source of food, forests also serve as nature reserves and wildlife sanctuaries.
If forests are destroyed, it would lead to industries closing down, food shortages for humans, and the extinction of animal species. Industries rely heavily on raw materials from forests, from food crops to spices, to fish from rivers that flow through forests.
Worse still, deforestation affects the climate of the entire planet. Forests are often called the “lungs of the earth” because they absorb carbon dioxide from the air and use that carbon to form trunks, branches, and bark. When forests burn, all the carbon is released back into the air.
Meanwhile, humans have already released so much carbon dioxide through fossil fuels and other activities, causing the earth to warm. This is known as the greenhouse effect, which threatens to melt ice caps at the poles and raise sea levels, flooding coastal areas.
To counteract this, replanting barren or deserted land is the best and most certain solution. The survival of humanity from generation to generation depends on food, clothing, and shelter—all of which come from forests that produce various products.
Thus, it is not an exaggeration to say that trees are like environmentally friendly factories that do not produce waste.
A factory is considered perfect if it does not pollute the environment, is not expensive, and produces vital needs for all humanity.
Using solar energy, green plants absorb carbon dioxide, water, and minerals to produce food, directly or indirectly, for nearly all life on earth. In the process, they replenish the atmosphere, remove carbon dioxide, and release pure oxygen.
Many people, especially businesspeople, prefer to invest their money in the stock market or similar ventures. Actually, given that forests are increasingly diminishing, the best investment right now is planting trees, whether on private or public land.
Trees will provide long-term returns to everyone—not just to businesspeople, but to anyone who enjoys sitting under a tree and enjoying its fruits.
There are many things that can be developed from forests. In forests, we can cultivate food crops. Forests can also be developed into tourist attractions for nature lovers.
Forests can even become locations for fish farming, like catfish or snakehead fish. However, it requires patience, a hobby for plants and animals, and a love for nature to make it a source of income. That’s why I chose to live in the Girsang 1 Forest.
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