Economic valuation of water services related to protected forest management: a case of Bukit Batabuh in the RIMBA corridor, Central Sumatra, Indonesia

The context of daily household needs of rural communities, particularly the needs for water, often remains insufficiently considered in tropical forest management as it is facing an important decision-making trade-off between profit and preservation. We conducted a choice experiment study to elicit preferences of the rural community members in Central Sumatra, Indonesia, who perpetually depend on the ecosystem services of tropical forests. To inform a spatial planning policy for the protected forest, we focus on the valuation of water services in the protected forest area of Bukit Batabuh where the surrounding communities living rely on upstream watershed and water storage management. We find that those communities have a strict preference for improving forest water provisioning services, compared to the current situation (status quo), with the estimated aggregate benefit of non-commercial use ranging between USD 2.71 million and USD 2.47 million per year for each of the options of (1) maintaining and enhancing water storage, (2) rehabilitating forest in the upper watershed or (3) restoring the riparian forest. This study also identifies preference attributes, such as water storage capacity, water scarcity and water turbidity which can be used in other tropical landscape contexts in Indonesia and beyond.

Participatory forestry improves mangrove forest management in Kenya

Participatory forestry has been recognized as a tool for improving tropical forest management. The current study assessed the impacts of participatory forest management (PFM) on the structure and regeneration of a mangrove forest at Gazi Bay, Kenya. Data were collected along belt transects perpendicular to the waterline in both co-managed and state-managed mangrove forests. Basal area and standing density were significantly higher in the co-managed mangrove forests (16 m2/ha and 4 341 tree/ha) as compared to the state forests (eastern block 10.3 m2/ha and 2 673 trees/ha; western block 6.2 m2/ha and 2 436 trees/ha). There were significantly higher (p = 0.0068) densities of merchantable poles in community-managed as compared to state-managed forests. Natural regeneration patterns in community-managed and state-managed forests were deemed adequate to support the recovery of both forests. The results demonstrate that community participation contributes to improved management of mangrove forests and is in agreement with the principles of sustainable forest management.

Dampak Pembukaan Kawasan Hutan Terhadap Erosi

Landasan konstitusional untuk pengolahan hutan tropis di Indonesia merupakan peraturan hukum Indonesia yang tercantum pada UURI no.: 41/1999 yang berisikan ketentuan perihal Kehutanan. Dalam pembukaan suatu areal rimba yang dilakukan oleh perusaha an kehutanan atau non kehutanan tentu akan berdampak positif maupun negatif terhadap lingkungan hutan itu sendiri. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah menganalisis dampak yang terjadi khususnya nilai erosi yang disebabkan dari kegiatan pembukaan hutan/ eksploitasi. Adapun untuk mendapatkan data pembukaan kawasan hutan terhadap erosi dilakukan dengan cara wawancara kepada perwakilan yang terpilih di dalam penelitian ini sekaligus melakukan pengamatan lapangan. Alat analisis data menggunakan [6]: Kae(Rp)= (Nda +Ndp+Ndn). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan nilai kerugiaan erosi akibat dampak pembukaan kawasan hutan perhektar sebesar Rp. 99.469.076. The constitutional foundation for tropical forest management in Indonesia is an Indonesian legal regulation listed in the UURI no .: 41/1999 which contains provisions regarding Forestry. In the opening of a jungle area carried out by forestry or non-forestry companies, it will certainly have a positive and negative impact on the forest environment itself. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impacts that occur especially on the value of erosion caused by forest clearing / exploitation activities. As for obtaining data on the opening of forest areas to erosion, interviews were conducted with representatives selected in this study and at the same time conducting field observations. The data analysis tool uses [6] : Kae (Rp) = (Nda + Ndp + Ndn). The results showed the value of erosion losses due to the impact of the opening of one hectare forest area of Rp. 99,469,076.