This mountain forest course training was conducted in South Halimun. In this second field session, the main focus was on Survival, Specific Terrain Conditions, and Land Navigation with a focus on Closed Navigation.

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In the main material, participants practiced consuming survival food and creating natural shelters. The variety of survival foods included Tepus for beverages, Forest Ferns that could be boiled, Clove Leaves, wild bananas, forest orchids, and the heart of wild bananas.

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Creating a Natural Shelter

Another practical material covered creating a natural shelter using materials from nature such as wood, leaves, vines, and so on. A natural bivouac consists of three main components: Frame, Roof, and Floor. Sturdy and robust wood is used for the frame to withstand the wind, the floor is made of non-itchy dry leaves for comfortable bedding, and finally, the roof is made of broad and long leaves to cover the entire roof and protect from wind and rain.

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Tree Climbing

In the specific terrain conditions module, participants learned how to climb trees. Climbing trees has specific purposes such as harvesting fruits located high up, observing from a high vantage point to determine our position and navigation, among other uses. Climbing a tree requires three anchors or three main safety measures to ensure safety while climbing tall trees. In this case, the author used three webbing ropes to create three anchors, with two anchors connected to the harness and one anchor used for footholds.

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Specific Terrain Conditions (KOMET)

Apart from tree climbing, another KOMET (Specific Terrain Conditions) material was trying to sleep hanging above the trees. This involves tying webbing between two trees and placing a sarong between the two trees. This method of sleeping in a tree is used in specific terrain conditions where the terrain is not flat, and setting up a tent is not possible or when the area is known for potentially dangerous wildlife.

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Making Traps

Participants also learned how to make traps to catch animal meat. The two traps taught were the pit trap and the snare trap. To make a pit trap, only a few pieces of wood are needed because the trap is entirely made in the ground. As for the snare trap, an additional material, non-elastic nylon string, is required to trap the trapped animal.

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The last module covered Land Navigation. Two land navigation techniques were studied: the first being Open Navigation, learned before entering the South Halimun forest vegetation boundary, and the second being Closed Navigation when returning through dense forest down to Cirasamala Village.

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The South Halimun Mountain Forest has a very captivating and visually pleasing panorama. The grandeur of the ecosystem created in this South Java forest is truly remarkable. To conclude, attached is the beauty of the Forest in South Halimun Mountain.

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Photo by Aranyacala on Instagram

This forest is a perfect destination for nature lovers seeking tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. Besides getting closer to nature, you can study various ecosystems present in the South Halimun Mountain Forest.