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Summary: Qualitative and quantitative methods are applied to assess the impact of CIFOR’s political economy research on the Indonesian pulp and paper sector. Key-informant interviews triangulated by trend-series tests suggest important influence through advocacy intermediaries and counterfactuals of slower adoption of improvements. Effects on conservation set-asides, overcapacity, and plantation establishment are estimated to avert loss of 76,000–212,000hectares of natural forest (135,000 under main assumptions). Application of an economic-surplus framework for environmental benefits of forest conservation and avoided implicit wood subsidies finds benefits of US$19 to US$583 million (US$133 million main estimate), compared with US$500,000 of direct research costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social forestry (SF) has long been implemented in production and protected forests in Indonesia. SF is considered to be a win–win solution for occupied and cultivated forest areas. The aim of this paper was to review the implementation of social forestry in Indonesia and its strengths and challenges. The secondary purpose was to synthesize the lessons learned and recommendations for the government about designing SF that can integrate the objective of forest biodiversity conservation and the social welfare of the surrounding communities. The study used a systematic literature review (SLR) of international and national peer-reviewed articles. The results of the study indicate that SF is intended to achieve benefits in three main areas: social, economic, and ecological. However, the review found that the ecological aspects of biodiversity conservation often receive less attention compared to the social and economic goals. A strong point of SF implementation is increasing community access to forest land use, while a challenge that must be resolved is that including communities in forest management can result in fragmentation and changes to animal habitats; thus, there is the potential for population decline and extinction. This study advises policymakers to pay more attention to ecological functions to ensure forest sustainability in SF development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some communities and governments in Indonesia have taken the initiative to develop waqf forests to solve forest conservation problems. However, research on waqf forest development is still rarely studied. This study aims to improve the strategy of waqf forest development in Indonesia. SWOT method is used to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and the possible development strategies of the Bogor Waqf Forest as a manager of Waqf Forest. The ANP method prioritizes these four aspects and the best strategy in developing the waqf forest. An aggressive strategy needs to be carried out by optimizing the existing legal organization and the welleducated human resources to inform the public about the waqf concept in Islam and its application in the waqf forest. Thus, the vast potential of cash waqf and waqif can be obtained. This paper is one of the pioneering articles that discuss waqf forest development strategies, especially in Indonesia. From this research, we recommend the Bogor Waqf Forest to resolve the legal aspects as an official waqf manager, and the government and Indonesian Ulema Council to issue regulation and fatwa regarding waqf forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconciling conservation and livelihoods is a concern wherever forests are important in local people's lives. We plead for engaging these people in survey activities to clarify what is important to them, as a first step in conservation planning. This will help to address their priorities and gain their guidance and support for interventions. This paper presents the results of such a survey with the community of Kwerba in Mamberamo, a remote and little known part of Indonesian Papua. Views and priorities were explored through interviews, scoring exercises, community mapping and a field survey. Whereas small gardens provided most staple food, culture and livelihoods were linked to the forest. People scored primary forest highest for nearly all use categories. Primary forest was particularly highly valued as a source of construction materials, ornaments and rituals, and as a hunting place. We developed a list of the overall most important plants and animals. Many natural resources were used, but few were commercially exploited. The community had rules to control access to certain areas and resources. Taboos to restrict access to sacred places were also maintained. Our evaluation identified opportunities to achieve conservation outcomes jointly with the Kwerba people. In follow-up activities, the community presented local government with a land-use plan for their territory. The government recognized the value of our approach and requested training to implement it more widely in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing legal protection for forest areas is the most common policy used to limit forest loss. This article evaluates the effectiveness of seven Indonesian forest protected areas introduced between 1999 and 2012. Specifically, we explore how the effectiveness of these parks varies over space. Protected areas have mixed success in preserving forest, and it is important for conservationists to understand where they work and where they do not. Observed differences in the estimated treatment effect of protection may be driven by several factors. Indonesia is particularly diverse, with the landscape, forest and forest threats varying greatly from region to region, and this diversity may drive differences in the effectiveness of protected areas in conserving forest. However, the observed variation may also be spurious and arise from differing degrees of bias in the estimated treatment effect over space. In this paper, we use a difference-in-differences approach comparing treated observations and matched controls to estimate the effect of each protected area. We then distinguish the true variation in protected area effectiveness from spurious variation driven by several sources of estimation bias. Based on our most flexible method that allows the data generating process to vary across space, we find that the national average effect of protection preserves an additional 1.1% of forest cover; however the effect of individual parks range from a decrease of 3.4% to an increase of 5.3% and the effect of most parks differ from the national average. Potential biases may affect estimates in two parks, but results consistently show Sebangau National Park is more effective while two parks are substantially less able to protect forest cover than the national average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tenure conflict is a challenge and dilemma experienced by many countries. The dilemma is because on the one hand, there is an interest in preserving forests, on the other hand, there are claims to land ownership in forest areas long before they are designated as forest areas. The next dilemma is that the party claiming property rights is generally used for agricultural activities which have been the main livelihood for generations. This study tries to examine the incidence of tenure conflicts in various countries to map how these conflicts occur, the factors that encourage land tenure approaches in resolving them, and government (state) policies. Using secondary data resulting from a review of previous research published in reputable international journals and other reliable and credible reports. The review study model used is systematic with meta-synthesis. Apart from journals, secondary data comes from other reliable and credible reports. Data and materials consist of 67 reputable international journals and 14 books/reports published in the last ten years. The results of the analysis found that tenure conflicts were caused by many things, motivated by the ownership and interests of natural resources specifically for agriculture for the lives of the surrounding community. An interesting fact is that the handling of tenure conflicts in several countries is considered successful, marked by the provision of access to forest management ownership. Other studies such as those conducted in Latin America, Africa, and Asia offer partnership models to resolve tenure conflicts. Similar things have also been done in Indonesia but have not been completely successful. Learning from this, this research offers a model for developing forest management partnerships to resolve tenure conflicts in forest areas, while also accommodating special agricultural activities for local communities. The model offered theoretically complements and/or perfects the models used so far which have proven unsuccessful in resolving conflicts. The practical implications are a reference for the government and interested parties to resolve tenure conflicts so that forests are maintained and can provide benefits for community welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional knowledge of sunggau rafters for Apis dorsata nesting is essential for livelihood and forest conservation. We determine the plant species needed to support the conservation of A. dorsata in Belitung Islands, Indonesia, by investigating the distribution of the sunggau in the three types of forests, the traditional knowledge regarding the plant species used for sunggau, and the vegetation structure of forests in which the sunggau is installed. Distribution of sunggau were explored on heath, swamp heath, and mangrove forests. We conducted a vegetation survey in those forests and an ethnobotanical survey by interviewing bee farmers regarding the plants used for sunggau and other uses. We found 95 sunggau distributed in the heath, swamp heath, and mangrove forest. Based on interviews, we recorded 65 plant species for sunggau and six other uses, including bee forages. Calophyllum sp., Cryptocarya sp., Melaleuca cajuputi, and Syzygium urceolatum are the most important plants according to bee farmers. The last two species dominate all forests, except mangroves, which are dominated by Lumnitzera littorea, according to vegetation surveys. However, the availability of several plants for sunggau is declining. Therefore, the conservation of A. dorsata needs the sustainability of sunggau and bee forage plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Forestry Review is the property of Commonwealth Forestry Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) provides financial compensation to land owners who avoid converting standing forests to other land uses. In this paper, we review the main opportunities and challenges for REDD+ implementation, including expectations for REDD+ to deliver on multiple environmental and societal cobenefits. We also highlight a recent case study, the Norway-Indonesia REDD+ agreement and discuss how it might be a harbinger of outcomes in other forest-rich nations seeking REDD+ funds. Looking forward, we critically examine the fundamental assumptions of REDD+ as a solution for the atmospheric buildup of greenhouse gas emissions and tropical deforestation. We conclude that REDD+ is currently the most promising mechanism driving the conservation of tropical forests. Yet, to emerge as a true game changer, REDD+ must still demonstrate that it can access low transaction cost and high-volume carbon markets or funds, while also providing or complimenting a suite of nonmonetary incentives to encourage a developing nation's transition from forest losing to forest gaining, and align with, not undermine, a globally cohesive attempt to mitigate anthropogenic climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivation of arabica coffee was implemented on the land of indigenous people outside the national park under an agroforestry program at Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP) in Indonesia aiming to reduce illegal activities inside the park. Traditional cropping patterns had increased the demand for land. This repetitive activity brought indigenous people to the national park for farming. We examine the economic impacts of the arabica coffee plantation program on the income of indigenous people and the changes in local activities in the national park through interpretation of maps, imagery/aerial photography, field surveys, and interviews with 244 households. Two surveys were conducted in 2016 (before the program), and in 2021 (after the program). We discovered that the average household income of the participating farmers increased by 109% after the program, while non-participating farmers saw a comparatively lower income increase of 91%. Moreover, program participants displayed a significant reduction of 83% in their activities within the parks. Conversely, a substantial 84% of households that did not participate in the program continued engaging in persistent, regular, and intensive activities within the national park.The program's achievements can be attributed to four primary factors: (1) effective coordination among multiple stakeholders, (2) the dedication and sacrifices made by traditional leaders and their families who served as program pioneers, (3) the commitment and diligence of field extension workers and farmers in practising sustainable agriculture for the cultivation of Arabica coffee, and (4) the cooperative's successful implementation of export-standard coffee bean processing and establishment of a robust market network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation efforts in Indonesia in the last decade have been using many strategies to integrate Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK). Recognition of the role of local communities and indigenous peoples is part of efforts to mitigate climate change and the current biodiversity crisis. The mapping of the contribution of local ecological knowledge in forest management approaches for biodiversity conservation is very important. This study aims to describes the contribution of local ecological knowledge (LEK) adaptation in conservation programs in Indonesia. This research method uses a qualitative approach with an ethnoecological strategy. The research locations were in three local communities in Indonesia, namely: the Nusa Lembongan community in Bali, the Tobelo community in Halmahera, Maluku, and the Urang Kanekes/Bedouin community in Lebak, West Java. Local ecological knowledge contributes to resilience in the face of climate change, and how indigenous peoples ensure harmony between social capital, the forest environment, and forest use can be of particular concern to face the challenge of achieving zero hunger. This is related to forest ecosystems managed by indigenous peoples showing better results in sustainability based on environmental and social sustainability principles. This study shows that forest management processes based on local ecological knowledge (LEK) can be an alternative approach to biodiversity conservation. Local ecological knowledge shows an emphasis on the ongoing process of experience-based knowledge in communities that utilize the environment. The contribution of studies on LEK adaptation as dynamic knowledge can be used as a more flexible conservation approach and evaluation of forest conservation programs in Indonesia in relating to ecosystem adaptation. The finding of this study was important to LEK integration into the conservation program so it will become more adaptive and flexible to the changes. Understanding the dynamic characterization of LEK has benefit to conservation program that is based on community and participatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical forest conservation is critical for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and maintaining global ecosystems. Understanding the channels through which conservation affects agricultural activities and livelihoods in these regions is key to designing effective policies and promoting sustainable development. To this end, we use labor supply data from Indonesia in 2007 and 2015 combined with a matching strategy to estimate the impacts of a national forest conservation policy, the forest moratorium, on local agricultural labor. Consistent with the predictions of our theoretical model, we find robust empirical evidence that the moratorium increased local agricultural employment and slowed structural transformation away from the agricultural sector. We provide corresponding evidence of decreased household expenditure due to the moratorium. Despite the moratorium, we find significant deforestation and forest degradation within the boundaries of the moratorium‐targeted areas, suggesting that increases in local agricultural employment may partly dampen the conservation policy's effectiveness. Our work offers new insights into evaluating existing conservation policies and designing future policies for Indonesia and other resource‐dependent economies that face similar challenges in balancing economic growth with conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuaulu (Seram, Maluku, Indonesia) manage forest to provision sacred house building and ritual feasting through a system of protected areas (sin wesie), examined here in relation to sasi institutions and scare charms (matakau) that overlap in their functions. Sasi feature in wider debates about how customary practices might deliver conservation objectives. The paper analyses interconnections between these three forms of regulation in the context of deforestation, social change and the recent history of state management interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly, international agreements, treaties, and conventions address tropical deforestation and specific causes of rainforest transformation. Such international regimes may aim to conserve natural forests or to support the exploitation of lands for a particular purpose, e.g. agricultural commodities. This paper’s goal is to map the international regime complex for rainforest transformation by identifying those global and regional regimes that are relevant for tropical rainforest transformation systems in Indonesia. The relevance of international regimes for rainforest transformation is assessed based on a novel methodology using two criteria: First, international regimes may be relevant in Indonesia because the core problem they address exists in Indonesia (problem dimension). Second, specific international regimes may be made relevant by the actions of specific actors and their coalitions in pursuit of their interests (actor dimension). To achieve the study’s goals we used (1) content analysis of international policy documents and treaty texts, (2) expert interviews with key informants in Indonesia, and (3) own field observations in current Indonesian land use politics. The results indicate that regimes dealing with biological diversity, climate change, trade in endangered species, wetland management, international tropical trade, illegal logging, Southeast Asian (ASEAN) forest and environment, the Asia Pacific free trade, and the southeast Asian rubber trade regime are relevant in both the problem and actor dimensions. The regimes concerned with desertification and international forestry research are relevant only in the actor dimension. In contrast, the following regimes are relevant only in the problem dimension: indigenous rights, forest certification, palm oil certification, agroforestry certification, and international rubber trade. We discuss our results considering global and regional regimes relevant to Indonesian rainforest transformation systems. We conclude that regimes relevant solely due to the engagement of domestic actors and not in respect of the problem dimension are unlikely to maintain their relevance in the long term. In the short term, however, they have the potential for creating substantial political benefits for the actors using them. In contrast, regimes with high problem relevance but low actor backing are unlikely to even enter the political agenda, and therefore will have only limited impact. This suggests that future research should consider that, whilst relevance in the problem dimension is necessary to establish regime influence, it alone does not suffice. We can expect global and regional regimes to have an influence only when powerful actors back them in their agenda setting, domestic policy formulation and actual implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine theoretically the emergence of participatory comanagement agreements that share between state and user the management of resources and the benefits from use. Going beyond user-user interactions, our state-user model addresses a critical question--when will comanagement arise?--in order to consider the right baseline for evaluating comanagement's forest and welfare impacts. We then compare our model's hypotheses concerning de facto rights, negotiated agreements, and transfers (all endogenous) with community-level data including observed agreements in a protected Indonesian forest. These unique data could refute the model, despite being limited, but instead offer support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Forest management poses particular challenges as the pressure on forests is huge due to deforestation. In this context, the establishment of protected areas is a common conservation measure where institutions are put in place and sanctions regarding forest use are enforced. This paper focuses on the practice of sustainable forest management and the associated perspectives of local institutions at the rainforest margins of Lore Lindu National Park (LLNP) in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Our case study applies a qualitative social science research approach. Interviews and group discussions with relevant actors such as farmers, village authorities, the National Park authority, and non-governmental organization members were conducted. The Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework served to structure the study and to provide a set of questions to be considered concerning rules, participants, and conservation outcomes. State-induced formal rules are compared with traditional informal rules regarding natural resource use. Our results suggest that the current state-imposed formal rules have not been successfully implemented in the past. Insufficient boundary demarcation, and a lack of congruence between rules and local conditions have been identified as main reasons. Traditional informal rules are rather more respected by local people since they are adapted to traditional use rights and sanctions at the village level. Community conservation agreements (CCAs) are considered a promising tool to mediate between National Park conservation interests and local people''s needs integrating traditional informal rules. However, the CCAs implemented in the LLNP area do not address existing differences in perception and behavior of indigenous people and migrants in the area. We argue that this is a central aspect in terms of successful CCA implementation and forest management. Thus, we recommend that the National Park authority should take the cultural diversity of the area seriously into consideration and integrate flexible and distinct socio-cultural strategies into its management processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The destruction of forests, fires and illegal logging is one form of disturbance to forest resources and lately more and more frequent. Fires and deforestation pose enormous losses and the impact is vast, even across national borders. On the other hand, prevention and control efforts were undertaken so far have not provided optimal results. Therefore, it needs a thorough improvement, especially those related to the welfare of marginalized communities or in forest areas. Various improvement efforts are carried out, among others, in the field of extension to the community especially related to the factors causing forest fires, the enhancement of the capacity of government apparatus especially from the Ministry of Forestry, the improvement of facilities to prevent and overcome the forest fires and illegal logging, legal reform and the application of sanctions in assertive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Periódico Tchê Química is the property of Grupo Tche Quimica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Human activities that alter land cover have destroyed natural ecosystems and caused conflict. In Indonesia, community-based forest management (CBFM) policies implemented by the government seek to empower communities, ameliorate forest conversion, and reduce environmental conflict. This article critically assesses contemporary CBFM policy in Indonesia by analyzing its history and outcomes through policy analysis. To systematically review previous literature on CBFM, this research uses the PRISMA method. It finds that communities are often able to manage forest areas sustainably through sociocultural systems that combine management customs and culture. Empowerment through CBFM policy therefore promises to promote community subsistence, equity, and security regarding forest management. However, granting total resource rights to communities can result in land conversion unless managerial safeguards are in place. Many studies find that the clarity of land boundaries, the consistency of regulation, and the partiality of land governance drive CBFM program success. To facilitate land governance for the successful implementation of Indonesian social forestry, communities need access rights, authority to manage forests, and sufficient knowledge transfer to participate in formal forest management. In contrast to previous iterations of CBFM in Indonesia, current social forestry policy acknowledges these governance needs and seeks to implement them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Forestry Review is the property of Commonwealth Forestry Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There has been growing interest in achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by identifying effective interactions or synergy potential among measures/policies on sustainable development. The simultaneous implementation of climate change mitigation (SDG 13) and forest protection (SDG 15) is an example of an interaction where the measures/policies that contribute to both goals can be identified and the overlaps eliminated. However, there are limited studies that quantitatively evaluate the synergy potential in the forest sector. This study is the first attempt to examine the synergy potential in the forest sector in Indonesia focusing on climate change mitigation and forest protection. We evaluated four scenarios that differentiated climate and forest policy options and assessed the effectiveness of implementing these two policies simultaneously by 2030, using a computable general equilibrium model and a land-use model. We found that the additional efforts needed for emission reduction were larger for the scenario not considering forest protection than for that considering forest protection. This caused differences in the mitigation measures introduced and the resulting land use that depended on the scenario. Consequently, mitigation costs would be reduced by implementing mitigation and forest protection policies simultaneously, suggesting that the synergy effect in the forest sector in Indonesia does exist. This also implies simultaneous contributions to SDGs 13 and 15 (Targets 13.2 and 15.2). To realize such synergies, which have not yet been considered, it is necessary for policymakers to fill the institutional gaps between the policies/strategies of mitigation and forest conservation and enforce the policies for SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indonesia's deforestation is a crisis of global proportions. Its causes are highly complex, spanning local social and community dynamics to national political hierarchies and global corporate politics, current and historic. Development plays a key role, with global neo-liberal imperatives leveraged, resisted and competing with myriad multi-level agendas and actors. Gramscian analysis of logics and ideology, which combine to construct a global and local "common sense," helps to explain the mixed messages of policy and conservation, which themselves make Indonesian deforestation and its solutions so complicated. Solutions to forest destruction, presented in the form of payment for ecosystem services, multi-stakeholder initiatives, improved governance and transparency within a neo-liberal market framework, have had limited success. The reason for this limited success lies in the notion, encouraged by multilateral and development thinking, that commodification of communities and nature will also conserve forests. Drawing on fieldwork in Indonesia and the United States, this article argues that discrepancies in development and economic policy, which lead to ecologically destructive outcomes like tropical deforestation, cannot be patched up by innovative market tools. Rather, they reflect irreconcilable flaws in contemporary political economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many major corporations and countries have made commitments to purchase or produce only "sustainable" palm oil, a commodity responsible for substantial tropical forest loss. Sustainability certification is the tool most used to fulfill these procurement policies, and around 20% of global palm oil production was certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in 2017. However, the effect of certification on deforestation in oil palm plantations remains unclear. Here, we use a comprehensive dataset of RSPO-certified and noncertified oil palm plantations (~188,000 km²) in Indonesia, the leading producer of palm oil, as well as annual remotely sensed metrics of tree cover loss and fire occurrence, to evaluate the impact of certification on deforestation and fire from 2001 to 2015. While forest loss and fire continued after RSPO certification, certified palm oil was associated with reduced deforestation. Certification lowered deforestation by 33% from a counterfactual of 9.8 to 6.6% y-1. Nevertheless, most plantations contained little residual forest when they received certification. As a result, by 2015, certified areas held less than 1% of forests remaining within Indonesian oil palm plantations. Moreover, certification had no causal impact on forest loss in peatlands or active fire detection rates. Broader adoption of certification in forested regions, strict requirements to avoid all peat, and routine monitoring of clearly defined forest cover loss in certified and RSPO member-held plantations appear necessary if the RSPO is to yield conservation and climate benefits from reductions in tropical deforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Payments for ecosystem services schemes are viewed as having the potential to achieve positive biodiversity and ecosystem service outcomes and social outcomes, and they have been widely studied since their development in the 1990s. We describe the state of payments for ecosystem services in Indonesia, where nine schemes were identified, four involving water and five involving carbon. We also assess the perceptions of stakeholders (donors, government, and non-government agencies) regarding the status of such schemes in Indonesia, and their views on what factors support or constrain their development. The main factors perceived to support payments for ecosystem services schemes were easily identifiable ecosystem services and service users, and the long-term support provided by individuals or institutions that facilitate the schemes, building on existing relationships between communities and these facilitating agencies. Stakeholders identified problems relating to regulation: the lack of regulation specifically in relation to payments for ecosystem services, but also overlap and uncertainties regarding regulations. Other constraining factors identified were the lack of recognition of environmental problems amongst potential buyers, and issues of rights and tenure for local communities. With so few operational programmes to date, covering a relatively small land area, and such constraints to further development, payments for ecosystem services schemes appear to have limited scope to supply ecosystem services successfully and sustainably at scale. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Approaches and instruments focused on market mechanisms and private enterprises, including private protected areas, are promoted as ways to resolve global environmental and developmental problems. In Indonesia, Ecosystem Restoration Concessions (ERCs) have been developed as a new market-oriented governmental instrument to counter current deforestation processes and to restore forest ecosystems. Conservation and development organizations, along with state authorities, view ERCs as a highly promising instrument in Indonesia and in other countries as well. Experiences with ERCs are still limited, however, and their viability is uncertain. The implementation of ERCs in Indonesia has been controversial and the impact of ERCs on forests and forest-dependent communities has been fiercely disputed. This article explores these conflicts and disputes with a focus on the Harapan ERC and weighs the relevance of ERCs for German development cooperation. The improvement of the accountability of such projects and the implementation of mediation facilities are emphasized as prerequisites to establishing such market-oriented instruments according to international standards of nature conservation, the rights of indigenous and local populations, and sustainable development. The author concludes that decisions about strategies and instruments applied in forest-related development cooperation must involve a reconsideration of the mindsets that currently determine conservation approaches and development cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article is concerned with the indigenous religious-based forest conservation of the Ammatoans of Sulawesi in the eastern part of Indonesia. It explores the Ammatoans' religious ideas of social actors that extend beyond human beings. Ammatoans understand that the cosmos is inhabited by not only human but also other non-human beings such as the land, forest, plants, animals, and so forth. Non-human beings do not only live together but also share the life with human beings in this world. Both human and non-human beings are equally perceived to be persons/subjects constitutive of intersubjective relationships. Such religious perception of intersubjective relations governs Ammatoans' everyday behaviors and practices, including those of forest conservation. Ammatoans' forest conservation practices include sets of regulations and punishments that are strictly enforced. Ammatoans' religious ideas and practices of forest conservation illustrate what scholars have called "religious ecology." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining protected areas with natural forest timber concessions may sustain larger forest landscapes than is possible via protected areas alone. However, the role of timber concessions in maintaining natural forest remains poorly characterized. An estimated 57% (303,525 km2) of Kalimantan's land area (532,100 km2) was covered by natural forest in 2000. About 14,212 km2 (4.7%) had been cleared by 2010. Forests in oil palm concessions had been reduced by 5,600 km2 (14.1%), while the figures for timber concessions are 1,336 km2 (1.5%), and for protected forests are 1,122 km2 (1.2%). These deforestation rates explain little about the relative performance of the different land use categories under equivalent conversion risks due to the confounding effects of location. An estimated 25% of lands allocated for timber harvesting in 2000 had their status changed to industrial plantation concessions in 2010. Based on a sample of 3,391 forest plots (1×1 km; 100 ha), and matching statistical analyses, 2000–2010 deforestation was on average 17.6 ha lower (95% C.I.: −22.3 ha–−12.9 ha) in timber concession plots than in oil palm concession plots. When location effects were accounted for, deforestation rates in timber concessions and protected areas were not significantly different (Mean difference: 0.35 ha; 95% C.I.: −0.002 ha–0.7 ha). Natural forest timber concessions in Kalimantan had similar ability as protected areas to maintain forest cover during 2000–2010, provided the former were not reclassified to industrial plantation concessions. Our study indicates the desirability of the Government of Indonesia designating its natural forest timber concessions as protected areas under the IUCN Protected Area Category VI to protect them from reclassification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Austrian Journal of South-East Asian Studies / Österreichische Zeitschrift für Südostasienwissenschaften is the property of South-East Asian Studies / Gesellschaft fur Sudestasienwissenschaften and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

ABSTRACT Tropical secondary forest and agroforestry systems have been identified as important refuges for the local species diversity of birds and other animal groups, but little is known about the importance of these systems for terrestrial herbs. In particular, few studies report how the conversion from tropical forest to technified cacao plantation affects the species richness and the community structure of herbs. We conducted surveys in 43 cacao plantations along the border of the Lore Lindu National Park in Central Sulawesi, ranging from agroforests to technified cacao, categorizing the plantations as rustic cacao, planted shade cacao, and technified cacao. We recorded 91 herb species. Of the 74 species determined to species level, 21 were also found in natural forests, while 53 were recorded only in agricultural habitats. Araceae was the most forest-dependent plant family while Asteraceae included the highest number of nonforest species. Overall, the presence of forest species was confined to moderately intensively managed rustic and planted shaded plantations. Distance from the forest, which has been identified as a crucial parameter for the diversity and composition of other taxa in cacao agroforests, only played a minimal role for herbs. Our study suggests that native forest herbs maybe more vulnerable to forest conversion than animal groups. The intensification of cacao plantation management increases the presence of weedy species to the detriment of native forest species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rattan cane is an important non-timber forest product (NTFP) harvested from Indonesian tropical forests. However, the extraction of NTFPs such as rattan cane may conflict with forest conservation efforts. A better understanding of harvesting practices can help assess the extent of this conflict and guide forest management decisions. This study assesses the accessibility factors that influence rattan cane harvesting levels in Lambusango Forest, Buton Island, Indonesia, and whether the harvesting of rattan cane is affected by the designation of conservation areas. To this end, the analysis adopts participatory mapping, Geographic Information Systems and a questionnaire survey and employs multiple regressions and analysis of covariance. The results show that accessibility, particularly slope and distance, can play a role in the quantity of rattan canes harvested. The presence of conservation forest does not significantly affect rattan cane harvesting levels. This could be due to limited awareness of the harvesters going to the vicinity of the designated conservation areas and mixed sentiments towards conservation efforts due to the long tradition of forest dwelling and harvesting activities. The study concludes that the successful establishment and management of conservation areas require consideration of the specificity of the local context such as the abundance of forest resources, accessibility and historical forest-people interactions, in addition to biological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cacao cultivation holds a sweet promise, not only for chocolate consumers and cacao farmers but also for conservationists who argue that diverse cacao agroforests may be used to sustain both livelihoods of smallholders and ecological benefits such as the conservation of biodiversity within human-dominated tropical landscapes. However, regional boom-and-bust cycles are the rule in global cacao production: after initial forest conversion to cacao agroforests, sustaining production is difficult due to dwindling yields as trees age and pest and disease pressure increases. The failure to revitalize plantations often leads to a shift of cacao production to other regions. Shade removal dynamics within these cycles substantially reduce most of the biodiversity benefits. We investigate the conservation implications of these processes. Using examples from the current cacao crisis in Indonesia, we show that until now commitments to sustainability by the cacao-chocolate sector have not been successful, which endangers remaining forests. Conservation can be combined with smallholder cacao production, but if this is to be achieved, greater quantitative and qualitative efforts to halt cacao cycles are needed on the part of the industry by making use of existing opportunities to combine sustainability, carbon storage, and biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Payment for Environmental Services (PES) is one of several schemes designed to conserve the environment by means of a market-based approach which also incorporate The PES framework and depends upon a number of criteria, namely: (a) A voluntary transaction where (b) a well defined environmental service [ES, or a land use likely to secure that service] (c) is being bought by a (minimum one) ES buyer (d) from a (minimum one) ES provider (e) if and only if the ES provider secures ES provision (conditionality). The case studies described are not perfect examples of PES, in them payments have been made in ways that are not as simple as those described by the PES criteria. The article attempts to describe lessons learned from three case studies by comparing the principles of PES with other conservation approaches. As shown by these case studies, to make PES work, the government has an important role to play. An initial stage of payments, taxes, and subsidies could be seen as a rational step toward an increasing willingness to pay on an individual basis that will lead to conservation on a wider scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resin producing agroforestry in the Krui area of Sumatra in Indonesia is presented as an environmentally friendly, income generating land-use system which contributes to both development and conservation objectives. We studied the change in household income portfolios in three communities in the Krui area. The studies revealed that in the period 1995–2004 agroforestry remained the main source of income. We predict, however, that due to declining resin productivity per hectare, and rising price and demand for timber, an increasing number of farmers will cut their mature agroforests in the near future. At the same time our data suggests that farmers will continue tree planting activities. In result old agroforests may vanish while new ones will be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil palm is one of the world's most rapidly expanding equatorial crops. The two largest oil palm-producing countries—Indonesia and Malaysia—are located in Southeast Asia, a region with numerous endemic, forest-dwelling species. Oil palm producers have asserted that forests are not being cleared to grow oil palm. Our analysis of land-cover data compiled by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization suggests that during the period 1990–2005, 55%–59% of oil palm expansion in Malaysia, and at least 56% of that in Indonesia occurred at the expense of forests. Using data on bird and butterfly diversity in Malaysia's forests and croplands, we argue that conversion of either primary or secondary (logged) forests to oil palm may result in significant biodiversity losses, whereas conversion of pre-existing cropland (rubber) to oil palm results in fewer losses. To safeguard the biodiversity in oil palm-producing countries, more fine-scale and spatially explicit data on land-use change need to be collected and analyzed to determine the extent and nature of any further conversion of forests to oil palm; secondary forests should be protected against conversion to oil palm; and any future expansion of oil palm agriculture should be restricted to pre-existing cropland or degraded habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To rehabilitate degraded forestlands and conserve the remaining forests in Kalimantan, effective measures are needed that accommodate various land uses in the landscape. We present a pragmatic model for prioritizing target areas for rehabilitation and discuss a potential approach, combining traditional reforestation and the forest management methods of local Dayak tribes with the operations of a commercial tree plantation venture, to promote the rehabilitation of elements of the tropical lowland rainforest. We characterized the vegetation and land use in the study area and assume that rehabilitation and conservation value will be maximized by concentrating rehabilitation efforts around forest patches with high cultural and economic value to the local Dayaks. We simulated potential enlargement of these culturally important forests and built a model to calculate a rehabilitation value for each forest fragment and fragment group with easily measurable criteria of vegetation and area. The model gives priority to areas where large continuous areas of culturally important forests already exist and/or will be created. The individual culturally important forest patches and their total area in the landscape are small, but even a small potential enlargement may be enough to establish relatively large concentrations. The potential matrix area for rehabilitation is dominated by young successional woody vegetation. Forested areas, although heavily degraded, connect several culturally important forest concentrations and are the most desirable target for rehabilitation. A well-managed commercial tree plantation can enhance conditions for the protection and rehabilitation of degraded forestlands through traditional reforestation and forest management methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the aspects of Slash-and-Burn research program on deforestation and agroforestation in Indonesia. Carbon offsets for forest conservation; Profitability of forest-derived land uses; Trade-offs between carbon stocks and potential profitability; Knowledge gaps regarding feasibility of carbon offsets through forest conservation.

The Leuser Ecosystem, northern Sumatra, Indonesia, contains the world’s largest orang-utan Pongo pygmaeus population. We examine the consequences of the recent wave of forest conversion, and legal and illegal logging, on orang-utan numbers in the Leuser Ecosystem. We review density variation inside the Leuser Ecosystem and its causes, and the consequences of selective logging, exhaustive logging and clear-felling for habitat conversion on orang-utan densities. The analysis of the orang-utan’s decline is based on information on forest loss, logging intensity, and the delineation of logging concessions and legal changes in land use status. The results indicate a very rapid decline, by c. 45 per cent, from c. 12,000 in early 1993, over a 6- to 7-year period. During 1998 and 1999, losses occurred at a rate of about 1000 orang-utans per year. At this rate, further losses in the near future are expected to put the survival of Leuser’s orang-utans in serious doubt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses tana ulen, an indigenous forest tenure in the area of the Kayan Mentarang National Park, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Forest people as traditional conservationists; Use and interpretation of tana ulen by communities; Effect of social, economic and ecological circumstances on forest management; Viability of policy alternatives for management of conservation areas.

Policies aiming to improve the conservation and management of tropical forests are often based on the assumption of political and economic stability. Yet some of the most important changes in conditions affecting tropical forests can occur when the political and economic climate changes in an abrupt, unpredicted, and largely uncontrolled manner. This fact is illustrated through preliminary, largely media-based documentation of changes underway in Indonesia. It is unclear, as yet, whether the effects of the sudden transformations on the forest sector in this country will be largely positive or negative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the imperative for the international community to develop long-term solutions for Indonesia's forest fires, as of February 2016. Topics include the environmental disaster caused by the forest fires that occurred mostly on Sumatra and the Indonesian portion of Borneo, the longer impact of the Indonesian fires on global climate, and the imperative for the international community to incentivize forest conservations through payments fro reducing emissions from deforestation.