Keawetan alami kayu ulin (Eusideroxylon zwageri T. et B.) pada umur yang berbeda dari hutan tanaman di Kalimantan Selatan

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. Ironwood (Eusideroxylon zwageri T. et B.) has long been known having high quality, resistant to termites and other natural condition, but the ability of regeneration and growth is too slow. Nowadays, the presence of this species is in danger because increasing of human needs. The Government of South Kalimantan and plantation forest company are already starting to cultivate and promote planting ironwood on forest in order to anticipate the extinction and to keep the availability of ironwood in market. Consequently, it is important to do research about natural durability of ironwood at young age for logging consideration. MATERIAL AND METHOD. This research was done by using ironwood from Plantation Forest in South Kalimantan, different age and diameter, 39 years old (30 cm diameter) and 26 years old (16 cm), and subterranean termites Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren. Test method was refered to the procedure of Indonesian National Standard (SNI) 01.7207-2006 for Laboratory test and American Society for Testing and Material (ASTM) Standard for graveyard test. The research parameters is weight loss, mortality of the termites, and degree of damage in the sample.