Etnobotani dan Potensi Aren (Arengga pinnata) di Desa Rumah Sumbul dan Desa Buluh Awar Kecamatan Sibolangit Provinsi Sumatera Utara

Abstract

Sugar palm (Arenga pinnata) is a type of plant that grows abundantly in Indonesia. Local wisdom in managing sugar palm plants can still be found in the indigenous communities in Rumah Sumbul Village and Buluh Awar Village, Sibolangit District. This study aims to assess the ethnobotanical utilization of aren palm and its ecological potential in Rumah Sumbul Village and Buluh Awar Village, Sibolangit District, North Sumatra Province. The methods used include literature studies, interviews with purposive and snowball sampling techniques, field observations, and vegetation analysis to determine the population structure, density, and distribution patterns of sugar palms. The results showed that the people of the two villages still utilize palm trees traditionally, especially for the production of palm wine, palm sugar, palm fiber, and janur. Ethnobotanical knowledge is still dominantly owned by productive-aged adult males. The pattern of aren palm distribution is generally clustered, with a fairly good regeneration rate. Buluh Awar village showed a higher potential population of aren palm than Rumah Sumbul village. This research illustrates the importance of preserving and managing aren palm sustainably as a local resource that has cultural, economic and ecological values.