Long Term Timber Utilization on Wooden Houses in East Kalimantan, Indonesia

抄録

The sustainability of tropical rainforests needs to be discussed from the perspectives of resource utilization and local people’s lifestyles. The research objective is to clarify the social system surrounding timber utilization with respect to the inheritance and sale of wooden houses in addition to their repair and reconstruction in the coastal community of East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Their house inheritance norms are bilateral. The youngest child often inherits their parents’ house because they are the last in their family to build their own. The sale of these houses is often done between parents and children, relatives, and acquaintances. About ten houses are repaired and three are rebuilt every year. With regards to house repairs, the foundation timber is rarely replaced, and about 50% of the other is reused. Several used timber is transferred to neighbors for reuse. These results demonstrate long-term timber utilization and a sustainable approach for using resources effectively.