Ulin Wood, Rich Benefits Wood From Kalimantan
One of the famous wood from South Kalimantan is ironwood. This sturdy, high-growth wood turns out to have a myriad of benefits.
Same as the initial components development of Geopark area where includes community development, economic development and conservation, ironwood trees also have benefits in the economic, environmental and socio-cultural fields.
To be clearer about the role of ironwood in people of South Borneo lives, this article will be discussed it.
Ecological benefits
As a plant that is able to grow large in the tropical forests of Meratus Mountains Geopark, ironwood has a large role in protecting the environment.
The leaves of ironwood tree are food sources of orangutans that live in the tropical forests of Borneo. As long as ironwood trees are preserved, orangutans living in the Meratus Mountains Geopark area will not lack food sources.
Green leaves from the ironwood tree are of course O2 producers and absorb CO2 so that they keep air clean and avoid air pollution. On a small scale, ironwood trees are able to regulate the climate to remain stable and even reduce the adverse effects of global warming. The leaves will also absorb and store water, act as reserves from rainwater.
Not only are the leaves useful for orangutans in Borneo. Ironwood branches are also a place for orangutans and water retention so that they do not disappear quickly.
Strong ironwood trunks are tasked with holding water longer through the stems. While the strong and sturdy roots are also tasked with holding water and holding the soil so as not to lose its nutrients. In addition to maintaining soil fertility, ironwood trees will also keep the soil solid to prevent landslides.
Socio-Cultural Benefits
In terms of socio-cultural and its usefulness for people’s daily lives it turns out that every part of the ironwood tree has its own role. The fruit of the ulin tree by the local community is used as a swollen and polish medicine to coloring and nourish hair.
The leaves of ironwood tree are drugs for blood vomiting and if used only by it’s shoots, it can be used to fertilize the hair.
The young ulin leaves are a medicine to treat kidney gums while old leaves can also be used as hair remedies.
While the famous Ulin wood trunks are often used as carvings, shingles, and drugs and hair polish. Not only the trunk is still sturdy, but the base of the tree can also be used as carving and other crafts.
Economic benefits
For local people, by relying on ironwood fruit as hair medicine / hair dye from ulin oil, they can be helped economically, either used alone or used as goods to be traded.
In addition to the seeds, the leaves also carry economic prospects because they are useful as drugs and can absorb carbon.
Twigs and branches are the main raw materials for various kinds of handcrafts. Houses in Borneo used ulin wood as a pillar to support houses and to make wood charcoal. Not only used by local people, ironwood is also widely used as a building material outside Borneo.
There are various handicraft products produced by ironwood trunks such as furniture, building materials, guardrails, bridges, ports, shipping, like trucks, trains, electrical installations and much more. While the stumps are used as carving and crafting materials.