01 January 2024
Anonymous Writer
Living alongside wildlife poses unique challenges for communities residing near protected forests. The unpredictable presence of wild animals creates significant concerns for village residents. Although wild animals that "feel safe" generally do not disturb humans, residences within their roaming zones still pose risks, such as causing fear and preying on livestock. The shrinking habitat and decreasing food supply have forced wildlife to venture into residential areas.
Timbang Lawan Village, located in Bahorok Subdistrict, Langkat Regency, is one such village near Gunung Leuser National Park (TNGL). TNGL, one of the largest national parks in Indonesia, serves as a habitat for various wildlife, including tigers. Several cases of livestock loss due to tiger attacks have been reported in this village. However, an effective and efficient solution to mitigate human-tiger conflicts remains elusive.
The frequent conflicts in Timbang Lawan Village have drawn the attention of various parties seeking to offer solutions. On Saturday, December 30, 2023, the Community Service Institute (LPPM) of Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), led by Dr. Pindi Patana, S.Hut., M.Sc., visited the village and conducted several activities to observe and analyze the conflicts. During the visit, Dr. Pindi stated that the theme addressed was a follow-up to the deforestation issues in the TNGL forest area bordering Timbang Lawan. Deforestation has caused negative impacts such as ecological disasters, including floods damaging agricultural lands and plantations, as well as social disasters, such as tiger attacks on livestock. Dr. Pindi further emphasized that these social disasters have the potential to escalate into human-tiger conflicts.
As a solution, he proposed transforming Timbang Lawan Village into a tourism village rooted in local wisdom and natural beauty, blending the charm of the Bahorok River, plantations, and forests in the area. Additionally, Dr. Pindi highlighted several underdeveloped tourist attractions with great potential, such as Datuk Landak Beach, Lubuk Larangan, Datuk Landak Cemetery, Selang Pangeran Waterfall, Batu Rijal Cave, Air Cave, and Angin Cave. Developing a tourism village is expected to create job opportunities for residents and improve their welfare.
Institutional strengthening is also a critical aspect of establishing a tourism village capable of systematically, sustainably, and independently managing various activities. Dr. Pindi explained that the LPPM USU Village Development Team has undertaken several institutional strengthening activities to support Timbang Lawan Village as a tourism village. The involvement of USU Thematic Community Service (KKNT) students in educating residents to develop the village's natural tourism potential has been part of these efforts since 2022. Through this series of village development initiatives, it is hoped that community welfare and tiger conservation can be achieved while minimizing and potentially eliminating conflicts.
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