Environmental History of Dayak Jalai Community as an Effort towards Disaster Risk Reduction

Abstract

President Soeharto's policy on granting forest concessions affected the destruction of forests, one of which was in Ketapang District, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. Vulnerability to the impact of natural disasters occurs in the Dayak Jalai community who lives around the forest. Disaster risk reduction efforts are carried out by the community and the government by utilizing the environmental history in the community. The research objective is to explore the potential of environmental history and its development for disaster risk reduction, especially the Jelai Dayak community in Ketapang Regency. Research method is a qualitative approach. Data validity uses triangulation, and data analysis uses interactivity. The result of the study shows that the environmental history has the potential aspect as an effort to reduce disaster risk in the Dayak Jalai community as a learning resource. Studying environmental history means finding the root cause of disaster triggers through past mass events to anticipate disasters early. Disaster risk reduction innovation is carried out by developing environmental history to shape the character of the community who is aware of environmental sustainability in order to increase awareness of the coming of natural disasters. Keywords— environmental history; disaster risk reduction; Dayak Jalai community