Bakun Study

CONTENTS

1.0 -

Background Loca Locate ted d betw betwee een n lati latitu tude des s 1.5° 1.5°N N and and 3.0° 3.0°N N and and long longit itud udes es 113. 113.5° 5°E E and and 115. 115.3° 3°E, E, encompassing encompassing Balui River and its tributaries some 37 km upstream of Belaga town.

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Its Its co covers vers abo about 14 14,75 ,750 km km2 area.

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curren currentt land use use types types are primary primary Fores Forestt (74%), (74%), select selective ively ly logged logged fores forestt (21%) (21%) and shifting cultivation together with grass Land/bust land (5%).

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The clima climate te is charact characteri erized zed by an annua annuall precipit precipitati ation on excee exceedin ding g 4000 mm, mean mean annual evapotranspiration evapotranspiration of about 1300 mm and average temperature of 25°C.

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flooding flooding an area area curren currently tly occupi occupied ed by 15 15 communi communities ties.. Land will will be floode flooded d up to 228 m above sea level.

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Most Most of the the area area to be flood flooded ed is cons consti titu tute ted d by

swid swidde dens ns,, garde gardens ns,, fruit fruit tree trees, s,

plantations, graveyards, work areas, and areas of primary forest with economic value to the local population (as a source of food and raw materials). -

2.0

The major majority ity of of the populati population on in the Bakun Bakun area are Kenya Kenyah h and Orang Ulu.

Project Area a. Location

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The propo proposed sed area area is is located located withi within n south south of the Bakun Bakun dam catchment catchment area. area.

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divided in into 3 blocks •

Block A (approx. 122,000 ha)

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Block B (approx. 19,200 ha)

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Block C (approx 24,000 ha)

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Stat State e lan land d (wit (withi hin n dam dam cat catch chme ment nt area area))

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Only Only can can reac reach h by the the log loggi ging ng road road acce access ss

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No dire direct ct acces access s from from the the neare nearest st town town (Bel (Belag aga a Bazaa Bazaar) r)

b. Population

No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Name of   Longhouses R. Juman R. Daro R. Balui Ukap R. Lesong Long Bulan R. Kulit Long Jawi R Lahanan R. Kelap R. Belor R. Nyabong R. Punan Talun

Bilek /

Population

No. of  

Doors 95 115 84 128

578 468 414 646

Families 143 105 97 142

209

1,274

89 103 101

535 477 429

Farm Area (Acres) (Ha) 429 315 291 426

174 128 118 172

279

837

339

138 99 101

414 297 303

168 120 123

c. Economic Activities Majority of the populations in the Bakun area are practice shifting conventional economic activities such as : -

Fishing

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Shifting Cultivation

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Hunting

Many of the educated villagers have also moved to settle in towns where they have modern jobs such as being teachers, businessmen and in the private sectors.

3.0

Topographical

Block A (122,000 Ha) No.

Topographical (m)

Area (Ha)

Percentage (%)

Remarks

1

> 500

48,800

40%

2

0 – 500

42,700

35%

3

Water body

30,500

25%

- Batu Laga Plateau in the middle of the proposed area - East site basically not suitable for any agriculture purpose - More than half of the area are more than 500 meters above sea level.

Block B (19,200 Ha) No.

Topographical (m)

Area (Ha)

Percentage (%)

1

> 500

7,680

40%

2

0 – 500

9,600

50%

3

Water body

1,920

10%

Remarks

- Mountainous part on the east side of the area (Gunung Kajang-1067M) - Approximately 55% of the area considered as the land that below 500 metres from the sea level.

Block C (24,000 Ha) No.

Topographical (m)

Area (Ha)

Percentage (%)

1

> 500

2,400

10%

2

0 – 500

20,400

85%

3

Water body

1,200

5%

Remarks

- Basically, the area area 500 metres below the sea level. - The highest peak of the. - The highest peak of the block is 735 metres (Bukit Penoh) - In term of land level / slope Block C is suitable for  plantation development.

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Bakun has a rugged topography with sharp crest and steep slopes.

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Most of the area is above 500 metres above sea level.

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However the selected project area is made up of hilly and mountainous

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The highest peak here is more than 1000 metres height which is located at

the certain part of the proposed area -

4.0

The another constrain to developed the area is there are too many river 

Soil -

Bakun is predominantly characterized by soils of the Skeletal and Red-Yellow

Podzolic Group. -

excessively drained soils with shallow to moderate depth (25-50 cm of the

surface) -

shifting cultivation of hill paddy is still commonly practiced.

4.1 Land Capability (for agriculture purposes)

LAND CAPABILITY (FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES) Block

Class 3 (%)

Class 4 (%)

Class 5 (%)

Water (%)

A

25%

B

10%

C

5%

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Total (%)

Most of the proposed areas are include in the Class 5 for the

agriculture purposed. •

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severe limitation that agriculture is not feasible

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Consider as slopes steeper than 33    ̊

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Very severe erosion

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Frequently floods of long duration

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Excessive salinity or shallow soils over bedrock

Another grade of the land capability for the area is Class 4 which consist : May suitable for a few crops •

Two or more serious limitation

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Drastically limit the range of crops

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Require the special conservation practise •

Risk of the crop failure is high

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Limitation may seriously affect the timing and ease of tillage, planting

and harvesting.

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Class 3 of agriculture capability among the land in the proposed area

which define as: •

Two or three moderate or one serious limitation

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Limitation may seriously impede farm operation

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Restrict the choice of crops and increase fertilizers needs.

Source : Department of Agriculture, Sarawak  Soil and Survey Division

5.0

Infra / Roads

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Can be reach by unpaved road heading to Belaga Bazaar.

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The selected proposed Block A, B and C only can be reach by logging trail

and by river transportation.

6.0 -

Existing Plantation The surrounding area around Block A, B and C was proposed for National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary.

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7.0

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No existing plantation development at analysis area.

Recommendation

Bakun long term development prospect are very much dependent on the future proposed agricultural.

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Based on the analysis that have been made, Bakun catchment area are not suitable for any plantation such as oil palm and rubber.

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This is because the land in the area considered as high level ground.

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However, this land still capable in development such as paddy plantation or any shifting cultivation.

Getah memerlukan hujan 180 sm - 250 sm setahun suhu diantara 25 - 30 darjah Celcius Ketinggian tanah dari paras muka laut ialah 500 meter  Semakin tinggi ditanam semakin berkurangan perolehan hasil dan kecergasan pertumbuhannya

tanah sesuai untuk tanam getah ialah jenis lom yang mempunyai saliran yang bebas, tidak masin, tidak masam atau sentiasa banjir.

Kelapa sawit pada ketinggian 0 - 500 meter di atas aras laut. Kelapa sawit menyukai tanah yang subur dan tempat terbuka, dengan kelembapan tinggi. Kelembapan tinggi itu antara lain ditentukan oleh adanya curah hujan yang tinggi, sekitar 2,000-2,500 mm setahun.

Shifting cultivation needs to continue Shifting cultivation is the most efficient agricultural technique in the Balui area at this time. Despite common prejudices to the contrary, study after study has shown that shifting cultivation is a sustainable agricultural technique which does not degrade the environment or deplete timber resources. Shifting cultivation is sustainable because nearly all the clearings are on secondary jungle; thus the same lands are used in rotation, after the vegetation has been allowed to regenerate. Shifting cultivation becomes a problem only when the population density is too high. The

population density in the upper Balui is very low, hence the continuation of shifting cultivation is unproblematic. It is not suggested that all resettlers must continue to practice shifting cultivation, but rather  that they be allowed to continue to do so in a sustainable fashion. In fact, given the growing interest in producing cash crops and engaging in other cash-producing activities, a significant sector of the affected population can be expected to reduce or even cease to practice shifting cultivation; this means that t he population increase which can be expected in the coming years will not bring about a comparable increase in hill padi cultivation. I am not suggesting that resettlers should continue swidden agriculture for ever, but rather that they will progress better if they maintain a subsistence economy which they master while becoming more proficient with different agricultural activities and industries. Instead of fighting shifting cultivation, it will be more productive to enhance its effectiveness further. For instance, it would be useful to collect and study all the varieties of rice cultivatedin the area in order to study their properties. The development of soil-measurement kits and other techniques could help in an enhanced selection of farm sites. Elsewhere in Borneo, the development of rattan gardens has been profitable in remote areas (Poffenberger & McGean 1993b: 46-47), and the same would probably be the case in the Balui