Local knowledge to inform effective management of protection forests: a case study from Indonesian Borneo Imam Basuki, Michael Padmanaba, Murniati 14th Conference of the International Association for the Study of the Commons (IASC)

Background

Gunung Lumut Protection Forest (GLPF; one of 494 in Indonesia) is still under heavy pressure from forest encroachments. Conflicts between GLPF, logging

concessionaire and local people.

Lack of information on biodiversity, local livelihoods and socio-cultural.

No proper management plan or board has been made since designation of GLPF in 1983.

Objectives

To examine the socio-economic condition of the communities in and around the GLPF.

To examine the local utilization of landscapes and natural resources.

To Estimate the value of the natural resources being used by the local communities.

Research Site

The area was a production forest (1970-1983 and then reserved as Gunung Lumut Protection Forest (GLPF). Inhabited by more than 15.000 people in 15 villages. The study was conducted in two settlement

sites located around and within the GLPF, i.e. Rantau Layung Village and Mului Sub-Village. Both sites are located in Pasir District, East Kalimantan Province. Rantau Layung Village is inhabited by 50

households or 217 people with a population density about 1 person/km2. Mului is inhabited by 18 HH and 121 people.

Research Site

The dominant ethnic is Paser and most of them are indigenous people who didn’t finish elementary school.

Customary law was still applied in the daily life, especially in managing natural resources, like Alas Tuo, Alas Adat, Alas Nareng and Alas Mori.

People cultivate upland rice, hunting, fishing and collecting rattan, fruits, vegetables and honey. They did small-scale logging.

Methods

The primary data were collected through general observation, participatory mapping of land-types and natural resource, scoring exercises, focus group discussions (FGD), household and key-informant personal interviews. The secondary data consisted of

demographic (population related ethnic composition), education level, public facilities and land use systems.

Methods

Data on community perspectives, including score or rank, on importance of landscape and products were recorded and tabulated. • Each importance’ score was expressed as

percentage. Each score was always accompanied by explanation provided by the people.

• Among other perspectives, the top ten importance species of plants and animals from the forests was described in a series and was valued using LUVI (Sheil et al., 2003).

Identified land types in Rantau Layung and Mului, including their characteristics

Land types importance (mean value) for all groups in Rantau Layung

Land types importance (mean value) for all groups in Mului

Knowledge on distribution of natural resources The GLPF management may consider these sites as key biodiversity areas since most of them are located within and around protected areas. Springs, mountain and riverbanks are among these special areas.

Land types importance (mean value) for all groups

Forest types importance (mean value) for all groups

Product source importance (mean value) for all groups

Implication to Policy on Protection Forest Management

Forest resource are locally considered to be more important than most other landscapes active participation of local stakeholders will support formal forest management. Local institutions (and knowledge) can be

great allies for the managers of protection forest.

-- People may be “part of the problem” but must also be “part of the solution --”

Acknowledgement: Tropenbos International – Indonesia Villagers of Mului and Rantau Layung Thank you!