Masyarakat Konservasi Tanah dan Air terasa kehilangan tokoh legendaris dalam mengedepankan pengelolaan sumber daya alam hutan, tanah dan air di Indonesia. Siapa tokoh ini yg ketika berkiprah di dalam kepengurusan organisasi profesi di bidang konservasi tanah dan air ini?

Pada dekade 1970/1980an upaya konservasi tanah dan air sudah mulai diperkenalkan kepada masyarakat pengguna lahan, terutama kepada para petani lahan kering di dalam Daerah Aliran Sungai (DAS). Para pendahulu yg mempunyai tugas pemerintahan dalam Program Penyelamatan Hutan, Tanah dan Air (PHTA) telah menginisiasi penerapan kaedah konservasi tanah dan air melalui pendidikan, pelatihan dan penyuluhan kehutanan kepada sumber daya manusia aparatur dan non aparatur agar mempunyai keahlian dan keterampilan melaksanakan kegiatan konservasi tanah dan air pada lahan kering, terutama dengan metode vegetatif dan sipil teknis.

Pada tahun 1981, Direktorat Reboisasi dan Rehabilitasi membentuk Sub Direktorat Pengelolaan DAS yg salah satu tugasnya menyusun regulasi, perencanaan, bimbingan tenis, monitoring dan evaluasi terhadap kegiatan konservasi tanah dan Air yg dilaksanakan di dalam DAS. Ketika itu, semua DAS di Indonesia digarap dan 11 DAS Prioritas menjadi garapan utama, yg diawali dengan inventarisasi lahan kritis, perencanaan teknis, bimbingan teknis, pelaksanaan lapangan dan monev. Petugas Lapangan Reboisasi, Petugas Lapangan Penghijauan dan Petugas Lapangan Dam Pengendali yg bertugas mendampingi dan membimbing petani pengguna lahan.

Saat itu, Dr. Ir. Ngaloken Gintings sebagai aparat Peneliti Kehutanan mulai berperan dalam memberikan masukan dari hasil2 penelitian dan pengalamannya selama penelitian terhadap kegiatan kehutanan, yg dapat diterapkan kaedah konservasi tanah pada kegiatan reboisasi dan rehabilitasi lahan. Hasil penelitian yg direkonendasikan dikemas menjadi sebuah rumusan kebijakan teknis, kemudian dideliver melalui diklat dan penyuluhan. Kolaborasi hasil penelitian dengan kebijakan teknis ini yg membuat seringnya Dr. Ir. Ngaloken Ginting berperan bersama pejabat Direktorat Reboisasi dan Rehabilitasi.

Tahun 1983 Departemen Kehutanan terbentuk, dan pada Direktorat Jenderal Reboisasi dan Rehabilitasi Lahan terdapat Direktorat Konservasi Tanah. Tidak terputus komunikasi dan hubungan kerja Dr. Ir. Ginting dengan institusi ini, sampai kemudian terbentuk sebuah organisasi profesi yg diberi nomenklatur Masyarakat Kknservasi Tanah dan Air Indonesia (MKTI), dari sekian tokoh salah satunya yg merancang adalah Dr. Ir. Ngaloken Gintings. Kiprahnya dalam kepengurusan MKTI demikian semangatnya dan nyata dalam memelihara organisasi ini tetap eksis, timbuh dan berperan baik di pemerintahan maupun di masyarakat.

Setiap kali menyelenggarakan Seminar Nasional dan Konggres MKTI, selalu saja Dr. Ir. Gintings mengambil peran sebagai Ketua Tim Editor makalah yg dikemas menjadi buku Bunga Rampai MKTI. Dalam Konggres MKTI beberapa kali Dr. Ir. Gintings bertindak selaku Pimpinan Sidang.

Sampai terakhir dalam tahun 2025 Dr. Ir. Gintings diusianya yg tergolong sudah termasuk Lansia, masih menghadiri pertemuan formal maupun non formal bersama Pengurus Pusat MKTI, sampai di titik terakhir pada tanggal 23 Oktober 2025 Dr. Ir. Ngaloken Gintings dipanggil menghadap Tuhan Alah Yang Maha Kasih. Semoga amal dan ibadah almarhum diterimaNYA. Hasil-hasil baik yg ditinggalkan dapat menjadi panutan dan teladan bagi generasi penerus MKTI. Semoga.

In Memoriam Dr. Ir. Ngaloken Gintings

by: Trisnu Danisworo

The Soil and Water Conservation community has lost a legendary figure who championed the management of forest, land, and water resources in Indonesia. Who was this figure who was so active in the leadership of the professional organization in the field of soil and water conservation?

In the 1970s/1980s, soil and water conservation efforts began to be introduced to land users, especially to dryland farmers in Watersheds (DAS). The pioneers tasked with the government’s Forest, Land and Water Rescue Program (PHTA) initiated the application of soil and water conservation principles through forestry education, training, and extension to both governmental and non-governmental human resources. This was to equip them with the expertise and skills to carry out soil and water conservation activities on drylands, primarily using vegetative and technical civil methods.

In 1981, the Directorate of Reforestation and Rehabilitation formed the Sub-Directorate of Watershed Management, one of whose duties was to formulate regulations, planning, technical guidance, monitoring, and evaluation of soil and water conservation activities carried out within Watersheds. At that time, all watersheds in Indonesia were being managed, with 11 Priority Watersheds as the main focus. This work began with an inventory of critical lands, followed by technical planning, technical guidance, field implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. Reforestation Field Officers, Greening Field Officers, and Check Dam Field Officers were tasked with assisting and guiding farmer land users.

At that time, Dr. Ir. Ngaloken Gintings, as a Forestry Research official, began to play a role in providing input from his research results and experiences during his forestry studies, which could be applied to soil conservation methods in reforestation and land rehabilitation activities. The recommended research results were packaged into technical policy formulations and then delivered through training and extension programs. It was this collaboration between research findings and technical policy that led to Dr. Ir. Ngaloken Gintings frequently working alongside officials from the Directorate of Reforestation and Rehabilitation.

In 1983, the Ministry of Forestry was formed, and within the Directorate General of Reforestation and Land Rehabilitation, there was a Directorate of Soil Conservation. Dr. Ir. Gintings’ communication and working relationship with this institution continued unbroken, until a professional organization named the Indonesian Society of Soil and Water Conservation (MKTI) was established. Dr. Ir. Ngaloken Gintings was one of the several figures who designed it. His role in the MKTI leadership was so spirited and tangible in maintaining this organization’s existence, growth, and positive impact within both the government and the community.

Whenever the National Seminar and MKTI Congress were held, Dr. Ir. Gintings always took on the role of Chairman of the Editorial Team for the papers, which were compiled into the MKTI Anthology book. During several MKTI Congresses, Dr. Ir. Gintings also acted as the Session Chair.

Until the very end in 2025, Dr. Ir. Gintings, at an age that classified him as an elder, still attended both formal and informal meetings with the MKTI Central Board. This continued until the final moment on October 23, 2025, when Dr. Ir. Ngaloken Gintings was called to God Almighty. May his good deeds and worship be accepted by Him. May the legacy of good works he left behind serve as a guide and example for the next generation of MKTI. Amen.