Shifting cultivation

The communities living in Bukit Tigapuluh National Park greatly support conservation management as they sustainably generate income from collecting forest products and due to the shifting cultivation integrated with rubber planting. Their swidden cultivation, which uses an appropriate and sustainable pattern of shifting 'fields', does not much impinge upon large areas of forest.

However, a case in Talang Perigi village where forest were degraded due to economic influence of external parties, shows that the rotation of shifting cultivation can be accelerated resulting in decreased soil fertility and ultimately bad harvests. The creation of the National Park means that it will offers sanctuary as well as resources to the three traditional communities which continue to survive. The swidden cultivation integrated with rubber planting provides many benefits to the communities, since after an area was opened and planted with rubber, the people can then leave it to seek forest products in other areas. When the rubber trees have reached maturity, the elderly or women carry out the tapping, while the younger go to the forest to look for products and for hunting.