FOREST RESOURCE UTILIZATION BY THE SIBERUT COMMUNITY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SIBERUT ISLAND BIOSPHERE RESERVE POLICY
ABSTRACT: Siberut is one of
the islands in the Mentawai group, located off the West Coast of Sumatera in
Indonesia. The community of Siberut is well known for their traditional wisdom
in utilizing the forest resources and unique biodiversity of their island home.
For this reason, Siberut has been officially declared as biosphere reserve. One
of the aims the biosphere reserve concept is to enable traditional communities
to use their forest resources in a sustainable manner. Unwise activities in the
utilization of forest resources have implications for the whole community and
for the management of biosphere reserves. This study aimed to compile and
analyse first-hand information about current usage of forest resources on
Siberut and to identify particular community behavior having implications for
the implementation of the Siberut Island biosphere reserve policy. The study
was conducted in 3 villages of Siberut traditional communities in Mentawai
Islands Regency, that are Matotonan, Saibi Samukop, and Sagulubbek villages.
The study applied a qualitative approach, where data were collected through a
study of relevant literatures, interviews, and direct observation. Then the
data were analyzed to develop an understanding of the current forest
utilization and its implications for the policy in accurately. The results showed
that the Siberut traditional communities are still dependent on forest
resources, even though their utilization practices have been changing in recent
times. For example in this research they adopted some new technologies, which
it can be destructive to forest resources in the future. For that reason, the
reseach suggest the management of Siberut Island Biosphere Reserve to restore
those particular aspects of the traditional wisdom which have beneficial for
the sustainability of forest resources utilization. In this case involving of
local community starting from centre of planning to implementation process will
be benefit for a better management of the reserve.
KEYWORDS: forest resources
utilization; Siberut Island Biosphere Reserve; traditional community;
sustainable forest; traditional wisdom
Author: Fifin Nopiansyah,
Sambas Basuni, Yohanes Purwanto, Nandi Kosmaryandi
Journal Code: jpkehutanangg160012
