TUNGGU TUBANG AND ULU AYEK: SOCIAL MECHANISM OF SUSTAINABLE PROTECTED FOREST MANAGEMENT
ABSTRACT: Practices and
traditional knowledge of smallholder farmers living forests is a potential
resource to enhance landscape management. However, knowledge of the
smallholder-forest relationship is still rare to explore social mechanisms that
allow their relationship lasting long. The research aims to obtain further
understanding of the traditional practices of forest management in Semende,
South Sumatera. We visited 32 villages in Semende and stayed on several
occasions in the 10 villages. We used descriptive phenomenological approach to
understand the social process of successful forest management by farmers. We
find the key that leads to the relations of sawah-forest to be able to be
maintained against changes, that is consistent attitude towards the core values
of life, whatever happens and changes. Social mechanism in the form of
practices of knowledge-institution-tunggu tubang is an integral package to
ensure the sustainability of forest. The social mechanism is driven by the
values of respect for the elderly, extended family, real work, the search for
stability and serenity in the bonds of humanity. These findings may be valuable
lessons for improving forest policy.
KEYWORDS: protected forest;
sawah; upland; smallholder; cultural value orientation
Author: Edwin Martin, Didik
Suharjito, Dudung Darusman, Satyawan Sunito, Bondan Winarno
Journal Code: jpkehutanangg160011
