Customary Forests as Models of Traditional Agroforestry: Ethnobotany of Wild Edible Plants in the Dayak Sisang Forest, Indonesia

Around 20–25% of Indonesia’s population depends on Indigenous Territories, including the Dayak Sisang Indigenous Community. For the Dayak Sisang, the Indigenous Territory plays a crucial role, particularly as an ecosystem that provides wild edible plants (WEP). However, deforestation driven by land-use conversion and socio-economic pressures threatens environmental sustainability, leading to the loss of WEP diversity and the erosion of local knowledge. Therefore, this research seeks to explore and document WEP and to analyse their significance in safeguarding Indigenous Territory. An ethnographic approach combined with ethnobotanical methods was intentionally employed to ensure the accuracy of the data collected. Data collection involved in-depth interviews with 53 key informants, focusing on their perspectives and recollections of local botanical knowledge. Plant specimen collection was carried out through participatory forest walks to ensure accuracy in botanical analysis. This research identified 103 WEP species within the study area, representing 48 plant families. Nine families were found to be dominant: Arecaceae (8.74%), Moraceae (7.77%), Sapindaceae (7.77%), Zingiberaceae (5.83%), Aspleniaceae (3.88%), Phyllanthaceae (3.88%), Anacardiaceae (2.91%), Lauraceae (2.91%), and Rubiaceae (2.91%). Fruit (46.60%) is the most abundant part of the plant. Gastronomic preferences indicate that WEP is consumed chiefly raw (63.10%). Regarding growth form, WEP consists of trees (50%), the dominant one. Spatially, WEP is mainly found in sacred forests (46%). Customary territories have a crucial role as providers of biodiversity, ecosystem services, and economic potential. This study contributes to bridging ethnobotany and agroforestry research by framing indigenous forest management as a living model of biodiversity based agroforestry.