Bukit Ubae

The village of Ulak Lebar has a long history that began from Dusun Enau Becangka around the year 1600, when the Semende Darat community migrated and settled in the Muara Sahung area on the banks of the Sahung River, which is now close to the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. Ancestors such as Puyang Periksa Alam and Puyang Tabir Angin opened settlements and formed a customary social system that has been passed down to this day. Around the years 1958–1960, the community moved to the more accessible Ulak Lebar area, and village leadership continued to evolve from the demang system to modern village heads.

The Community Managed Conservation Area (AKKM) practice in Ulak Lebar is a traditional heritage that has been carried out for generations for 101–500 years. This management pattern is based on the local wisdom of the Semende community, who live in harmony with the forest as a source of life and ancestral heritage. The goal is to support sustainable livelihoods, preserve customary knowledge, and maintain the ecological functions of the forest as a water source and protector of the area.

In its development, the Ulak Lebar community received assistance from the Ulayat Foundation in 2005–2006 in village planning, and from AMAN and Ulayat in 2012 in resolving land disputes with companies. These efforts strengthen recognition of the community-managed area and make AKKM a tangible manifestation of the continuity between ancestral heritage and the community's adaptation to modern challenges in preserving nature.

Bukit Ubae is a hilly or mountainous area with a crater at its peak. The name “Badas” or “Ubae” comes from a type of wood whose bark can be used as a natural dye for weaving, while also serving to strengthen its fibers. In the past, this hill was filled with large trees and was an important part of the local landscape. However, over time and due to human activities, this area began to open up, and the crater at its peak has now turned into a natural pond.

Locally, this area serves as a protected area and a source of springs for the community. Several springs and hills around it are utilized for daily needs, while Suban spring and Tenam hill are still preserved due to their remote location and status as protected areas. In the management of natural resources, the community adheres to various customary taboos such as Ulu Tolong Buntu, Tungku Tiga, Kijang Nyelipiran, Jaring Api, Dikekas, Tube, and conducts rituals such as Pamit Penunggu Hutan, Petaunan Sehendi, and prohibitions on activities in the forest during the month of Sepit.

The utilization of resources in this area is limited by customary law, where the community is only allowed to take natural products in certain quantities and types, and limited to areas close to settlements. This local wisdom-based management demonstrates the community's commitment to maintaining ecosystem balance and the sustainability of water sources for their lives.

Customary regulations in the village of Ulak Lebar play an important role in preserving natural resources in the Community Managed Conservation Area (AKKM). Various traditional rules such as;

• Ulu Tolong Buntu
• Prohibition on building houses or huts between two hills, especially around water sources.
• This area is believed to be the path of spirits and must be kept natural.
• Cingkai Pematang
• Houses are not allowed to be built in the middle of the embankment (between two hills).
• Tungku Tiga
• Prohibition on opening houses or gardens in a pattern resembling three parallel stoves.
• Violations are believed to bring misfortune or difficulties in life.
• Kijang Nyelipiran
• Prohibition on building huts or gutters too far from settlements.
• Jaring Api
• When clearing land, it is forbidden to leave a narrow forest between gardens.
• Dikekas
• Before burning land, garden boundaries must be cleared to a width of approximately 5 meters (3 kekas).
• Tube
• Prohibition on poisoning, electrocuting, or using explosives in rivers.
• Ritual Pamit Penunggu Hutan
• The ritual is performed before clearing land by offering offerings as a form of permission and respect for nature.
• Petaunan Sehendi
• Tradition of clearing land and planting simultaneously to protect each other and control pests.
• Prohibition of the Sepit Month (Dhu al-Qaidah)
• Prohibition on conducting major activities such as clearing land, planting, marrying, or building houses.

Bukit Ubae, which is a hilly or mountainous area, contributes to the biodiversity of the hill forest. Several important species of flora and fauna found in this area include;

Flora

• Meranti
• Tenam
• Seluai
• Kayu melau
• Plagan / Kruing
• Gaharu
• Damar
• Kayu lulus / Ulin
• Kayu kendikat (honey tree)
• Kayu ndelemu (honey tree)
• Kayu kemenyan
• Bancung
• Bamboo
• Various types of medang wood (including Medang Gadis)
• Various types of rattan
• Semuhau
• Iron stone
• Gold
• Yellow root
• Bajakah root
• Medicinal wood: sima kubung, lasih (young leaves crushed for morning baths to treat fever), tetap manau root, kundang root
• Medicinal Plants
• Lasih leaves
• Semulap root leaves (for fever/cough)
• Bajakah root
• Kekait abang manau (for drinking, cough medicine)
• Jihang abang (burn treatment)
• Lihik fruit (boil prevention)
• Cempaka sap (toothache medicine)
• Water/dew from the leaves of the bird's nest (eye drop medicine)
• Fat banana heart (breast milk enhancer)
• Mentuduk sap (wound medicine)

Fauna

• Tiger
• Deer
• Mouse deer
• Wild boar
• Monkey
• Pangolin
• Tenuk (tapir)
• Babirusa
• Siamang
• Orangutan
• Hornbill
• Eagle
• Kuau
• Leopard
• Clouded leopard
• Bear
• Various types of snakes (aurlanting, tugang, beniol, tteki)
• Murai
• Spring fish
• Pelus fish
• Mungkus
• Cengkak
• Seluang
• Softshell turtle
• Flying fish
• Pehek
• Pelung

There are several important sites in the village of Ulak Lebar that are still preserved by the community, including;

• Ayek Suban (Tigarasa Spring)
• Ayek Pandak (Short Spring)
• Batu Tapak peritsalam; the footprint that opened the village of Muara Sahung for the first time.
• Old Tomb of Penabak (the opener of the Ulak Lebar hamlet)
• Tomb of Puyang Haji named Ismail,
• Tomb of Raden Abang named Kenimbur,
• Tomb of Raje Niti
• Manggahan Spring

There are currently no specific regulations governing the recognition of Bukit Ubae. However, the community has a joint commitment regarding the management of the AKKM area by the wider community.