Tree-collateral loans have been introduced in Indonesia to ease liquidity constraints faced by smallholder forest farmers, who often resort to premature harvesting. This study evaluates the impacts of the forestry microcredit called pinjaman tunda tebang (PTT) scheme on household livelihood assets in Gunungkidul District, Yogyakarta. Data were collected from a survey of 180 households (90 borrowers and 90 non-borrowers). To reduce selection bias, propensity score matching was applied, yielding a balanced sample of 134 households (44 borrowers and 90 controls). The average treatment effect on the treated was then estimated across ten indicators representing financial, physical, human, social, and natural capitals. Results show that financial capital improved most, with borrowers more likely to diversify income, operate side businesses, and fall into higher monthly-income brackets. Natural and physical capitals showed modest differences, including larger forestland and higher-perceived infrastructure access, but these may reflect pre-existing assets rather than causal program impacts. By contrast, human and social capital were weaker, with borrowers participating less in training, reporting lower technical adequacy, and engaging less in farmer-group meetings. These findings highlight that while PTT is effective as a liquidity instrument, its transformative potential depends on integration with training and collective empowerment. For broader impact, rural microcredit must be coupled with extension services and group strengthening to align financial access with long-term rural livelihood resilience.
Forests in Indonesia are under significant pressure due to deforestation and degradation resulting from human activities. However, in several areas, traditional practices of forest utilization based on local knowledge have proven capable of maintaining ecosystem sustainability. This study aims to investigate the practices of forest resource utilization and the traditional knowledge of communities regarding forests and ecosystems, as part of their local knowledge system in South Central Timor Regency. This study uses a case study strategy on members of the social forestry group for forest farmers, with a population of 1,149 people and a sample of 20% of the population (n = 239). Data were obtained through in-depth interviews, field observations, focus group discussions, and documentation, then analyzed triangulatively to ensure the validity of the findings. The study's results show that communities utilize forest resources selectively, using traditional tools and adhering to customary rules that serve to limit excessive exploitation. Traditional ecological knowledge regarding the role of trees in maintaining water sources, preventing erosion, and maintaining environmental balance serves as a normative guideline that directly influences harvesting decisions and regulates utilization intensity. These findings confirm that traditional knowledge plays a crucial role not only as a basis for ecological ethics but also as social capital and an informal governance mechanism that strengthens sustainable community-based forest management systems.
Contemporary forest governance, dominated by commodification-driven paradigms, has accelerated deforestation and marginalized local knowledge systems. While political ecology increasingly recognizes indigenous knowledge, the spiritual dimensions of forest conservation remain theoretically and empirically underexplored. Drawing on deep ecology and ecospirituality, this study examines how the spiritual dimensions of local knowledge legitimize forest conservation and develops an integrative framework as an alternative model of environmental governance. Using a comparative case design with qualitative methods, we studied two prohibited forests: Dusun Buhuk (South Sumatra) and Bukit Tabun (Bangka Belitung). Data came from in-depth interviews with 45 informants, eight months of participant observation, and satellite imagery analysis (2000–2023), examined through thematic analysis and cross-case comparison. We identify three spiritual mechanisms: spiritual ontology, which constructs forests as sentient entities with ancestral presence; spiritual authority, which generates governance legitimacy; and spiritual sanctions, which produce internalized compliance through supernatural punishment. Both sites preserved 98–100% of forest cover over 23 years, whereas formally protected areas lost 0.5–2% annually. Locally rooted spiritual values thus offer practical, self-enforcing governance that sustains biodiversity and social cohesion while adapting to external pressures. These findings counter state-centric paradigms and underscore the need to integrate spiritual values into conservation policy.
Sustainable ecotourism represents a vital strategy for harmonizing biodiversity conservation with socio-economic development, particularly within nature-based destinations in developing countries. This study explores the impact of environmental conditions on sustainable ecotourism development in the Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve, Vietnam. Using a combination of exploratory factor analysis (EFA), logistic regression, and SWOT analysis, the research identifies key environmental factors that influence tourists' revisit intentions and long-term sustainability. The EFA results highlight three main dimension environmental management, environmental quality, and biodiversity and landscape integrity. Environmental management emerged as the most influential factor. The logistic regression confirmed that environmental management (β = 1.536, p = 0.029) has the strongest impact on revisit intention, followed by environmental quality (β = 1.024, p = 0.039) and biodiversity (β = 0.425, p = 0.342). The study underscores the importance of adaptive management strategies that address climate change, pollution, and visitor overcrowding to enhance sustainability. This research offers a framework for improving adaptive capacity in ecotourism management and ensuring the long-term resilience of the reserve.
The Indonesian government has implemented a ban on log exports in two periods, during which time pro and contra parties have emerged. These groups have generated ongoing debates regarding the policy from 2013 to the present. This study aims to analyze the dynamics of these debates using the ACF concept. A total of 37 key informants from ministries, associations, NGOs, and scholars were interviewed using snowball sampling. Data were analyzed using a qualitative method and scoring of a five-point scale to identify each actor’s stance on the log export ban policy. The results showed the presence of two opposing coalitions and one ministry acting as a mediator between them. Interests, discourse on log values, belief systems, and networks in each coalition drive the formation of these two coalitions. Debates surrounding the log export ban policy are likely to persist as long as these differences remain. Therefore, the Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs, as the policy mediator, should mediate and create rules that are mutually agreed upon and implemented jointly by all stakeholders. The Ministry of Forestry, with its coalition, must encourage meetings at the ministerial level, if necessary, in limited meetings with the President of the Republic of Indonesia.
Stand volume estimation is the process of measuring the volume of tree stands, which serves as an indicator of forest ecosystem structure and biomass. This assessment supports various applications, including the implementation of reduced impact logging, a sustainable forest management strategy that employs selective harvesting based on tree maturity to preserve ecological integrity. However, measuring resources in large, complex forests with limited access is challenging for detailed resource measurement. This study was conducted in Central Kalimantan Province, as one of the production forest land uses with a naturally growing silviculture system. Forest canopy density (FCD) is employed to determine the classification of field samples. Furthermore, multi-sensor imagery was employed to derive input variables for stand volume estimation. Among the 19 predictors, the most influential were the FCD transformation, GEMI, and SAVI indices from Sentinel-2, along with bands 12 (SWIR) and 5 (red edge). Results indicated that variables derived from passive sensors contributed most significantly to the accuracy of the volume estimation model. The optimal stand volume estimation model generated from multi-sensor images had an R² value of 0.824 and RMSE of 9.7 at m-try 4 and n-tree 100. Estimation of stand volume using random forest obtained results in each sample plot size of 30 m² plots ranging from 0.05 m³ to 55.4 m³.
Sulawesi, as part of the Wallacea biogeographical region, has high biodiversity and endemism due to geological processes and unique local environmental conditions. Secondary forests in North Luwu Regency, South Sulawesi, developed after forest exploitation, especially since the 1970s, and are dominated by pioneer species such as Melastoma malabathricum and Colona scabra. This study aims to identify species diversity and ecological characteristics of secondary forest vegetation in Tamboke Village, using a multi-level plot measurement method (seedlings, stakes, poles, trees) and analyzing diversity indices, evenness, species richness, species association, and ecological characteristics, including soil and the composition of climax and pioneer species. The results show a plant community structure that reflects the early succession phase, with a dominance of trees with a trunk diameter of < 30 cm and moderate species diversity (Shannon-Wiener index 1–3). The evenness and species richness indices reinforce the community profile with a dominant presence of pioneer species and indications of biodiversity degradation. Species association analysis revealed diverse interactions between species with varying association strengths. Vegetation patterns are associated with Ultisol soils, which are predominantly acidic in pH, sandy, and have moderate organic matter content, influencing species composition, regeneration processes, and successional dynamics. This study provides an important ecological basis for sustainable forest management and restoration strategies in secondary forest areas to support biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.
The genera Rubroshorea and Shorea are ecologically and commercially important timber species in Indonesia. Genetic diversity is vital for ensuring the long-term stability of the forest ecosystems where these species thrive. Furthermore, genetic diversity is linked to the flowering system and seed dispersal methods, which play a crucial role in determining population dynamics. However, studies on genetic diversity and seed dispersal in these genera in Indonesia remain limited. This study mapped the seedling distribution of Rubroshorea acuminata, Shorea guiso, and Rubroshorea leprosula in the Harapan Rainforest. It also assessed the genetic diversity and genetic structure of the three species using ten microsatellite markers. The results showed that the three species used the gyration method for seed dispersal, which helps explain the decline in seedling density with increasing distance from the putative mother tree. Among these species, R. leprosula exhibited the highest seedling density and slightly greater genetic diversity than the others. The genetic relationship analysis revealed that R. leprosula and R. acuminata were closely related and formed a separate group from S. guiso. The study’s findings provide valuable insights into seed dispersal methods and genetic diversity, which can aid in developing conservation management strategies for the three dipterocarp species.
Wild honey harvesting represents a traditional method of utilizing non-timber forest products within the Rawa Singkil Wildlife Reserve, a practice that has been transmitted through generations in Buloh Seuma, Indonesia. In contrast to industrial timber harvesting, there is a lack of research on occupational safety in traditional forestry practices, particularly within wildlife reserves. This research has the objective to identify hazard sources and evaluate the risk level associated with traditional wild honey harvesting in Buloh Seuma. A qualitative methodology was employed, involving in-depth interviews with seven key informants, including pawang (honey harvesting leaders) and village heads, alongside field observations. The risk analysis utilized a semi-quantitative matrix that integrates frequency and severity scores, following a statistical-descriptive methodology. Findings reveal three significant activity stages associated with hazard potentials: forest expedition (8 sources), forest camping (4 sources), and tree climbing (6 sources). In Buloh Seuma, eight hazards have been identified, with two—falling from trees and bee stings—designated as high-risk. The local community exhibits adaptive capacity in mitigating these hazards; however, existing practices are predominantly intuitive and informal. The findings underscore the necessity of formulating context-specific and safer adaptive strategies for wild honey harvesters in Buloh Seuma.
Illegal logging causes deforestation, depleting government revenue and exacerbating natural disasters such as landslides and floods in developing countries. Timber exports in Solomon Islands exceed sustainable levels by a factor of seven, yet monitoring remains inadequate due to acute financial and human resource constraints. This study uses Marxan, a systematic conservation planning software, to identify priority ranger patrol areas in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Although studies on forest patrols have mostly looked at pathfinding algorithms, these studies have not considered conservation goals that tools like Marxan support. Using watersheds as the primary planning units, four cost-based scenarios (A–D) were modeled to achieve a conservation target of protecting 50% of the forest above 400 m—a critical zone for biodiversity and regulatory protection. The scenarios evaluated cost substitutes, including watershed area, stream network density, annual precipitation, and downstream land-use impacts. Results indicate that Scenario B (cost—stream network density) is the most effective strategy by successfully meeting the 50% target and encompassed 42.1% of the total watershed. Conversely, Scenario B provided a more concentrated, connectivity-focused spatial plan. These findings suggest that integrating Marxan’s systematic prioritization with hydrological data can transition forest management from random monitoring to data-driven, and efficient patrol routes.
Land cover change significantly affects soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, which is crucial for climate change mitigation. This study quantifies SOC stocks across five land cover types: mangrove forests, shrubs, settlements, plantations, and rice fields in the Segara Anakan Lagoon, Central Java, Indonesia. Soil cores were collected at three depth intervals (0–30 cm, 30–60 cm, and 60–90 cm) and analyzed for bulk density, organic carbon content, and carbon stocks using the loss on ignition (LOI) method. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to evaluate variations in soil characteristics across different land cover types. Mangrove forests exhibited the highest SOC stocks, with a peak value of 152.04 Mg C ha⁻¹ at the 30–60 cm depth. Shrublands and settlement areas showed moderate SOC stocks (115–125 Mg C ha⁻¹), whereas plantations and rice fields recorded the lowest values (<90 Mg C ha⁻¹). Bulk density was highest in rice fields and plantations, indicating soil compaction, and lowest in mangrove soils due to high porosity. PCA results revealed clear separation between mangrove soils and agricultural or plantation soils, with the first principal component explaining 79.1% of the total variance. These findings underscore the significance of mangroves in storing blue carbon and promoting sustainable coastal land management.
Gmelina arborea is a fast-growing tree species widely cultivated in plantations and community forests, but the low quality of seeds and seedlings often hampers its cultivation. One way to improve the vigor and viability of declining seeds is through priming. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of dark septate endophyte (DSE) priming treatment in improving seed germination and seedling growth of G. arborea. Eight priming treatments (control, soaking seeds in Cladosporium teunissimum, Exophiala pisciphila, Cladophialophora nyingchiensis, Diaporthe pandanicola, Cylindroccarpon sp., DSE-consortium, and GA3) were set in a completely randomized design. The treatments significantly (p-value ≤ 0.05) affected germination capacity, germination speed, mean germination time, vigor index, shoot (hypocotyl) length, seedling height, diameter, and sturdiness quotient, but not radicle length or germination value. Soaking seeds in C. teunissimum gave the highest germination capacity (87.25%), followed by soaking in E. pisciphila (85.25%) and DSE-consortium (81.25%). Soaking in C. teunissimum resulted in the highest seedling height with an increase in control of 7.6%, while the DSE consortium produced the highest diameter with an increase in control of 10.7%. These findings support the application of DSE-based seed treatments as a promising, sustainable approach to improving seed quality and establishing plantations and community forests.
Peatlands play a critical role in supporting Indonesia’s net-zero emissions target due to their carbon storage and provide nature-based solutions. However, drainage, logging, and land-use change have degraded many peatlands in Indonesia, rendering them highly vulnerable to fire. Despite efforts to mitigate fires, fire incidents in peatlands remain a recurring challenge. This study examines peatland fire management in Indonesia using review of recent scientific literature. 10 peer-reviewed published between 2020 and 2025 were analyzed to identify common strategies, actors involved, and socio-ecological dynamics underlying fire management. Findings suggest that the most effective interventions combine technical solutions such as rewetting through canal blocking, revegetation, and weather modification technologies with meaningful community participation and multi-stakeholder collaboration. These strategies are more sustainable when supported by adaptive governance models that considers land tenure, cultural practices, and institutional capacities. The study also identified gaps in long-term impact assessments and limited integration of ecological, social, and economic factors in most existing interventions. By bringing in the ecological and social dimensions, this review offers a more integrated understanding of peatland fire management. This study contributes to informs policy directions toward sustainable fire governance based on efforts to mitigate peatland fires in Indonesia.
Peatlands in West Kalimantan play a vital role in regulating water and supporting land productivity, yet they are highly sensitive to changes in hydrological conditions and land use. Peatland areas widely practice drainage and cultivation, which can alter the physical properties of peat and have long-term implications for ecosystem stability and land management. However, how land use and groundwater conditions influence peat physical characteristics across different hydrological settings remains insufficiently understood. This study examined peat physical properties across contrasting hydrological units representing cultivated peatlands and peat swamp forests. Bulk density, water content, and porosity were evaluated in relation to groundwater level, peat thickness, sampling depth, soil suborder, and land use. The results indicate that groundwater conditions and land use are the primary controls of peat physical properties. Peat soils under shallow groundwater conditions consistently exhibited higher water content and porosity, with values exceeding 80%, whereas cultivated peatlands showed lower water retention and porosity compared to forested peatlands. Peat thickness, soil suborder, and sampling depth further influenced the vertical and spatial variability of peat characteristics. Differences were observed both between hydrological units and across soil layers, reflecting pronounced spatial heterogeneity associated with site-specific management. Overall, these findings demonstrate that peat physical properties vary systematically across hydrological units and soil layers, highlighting the importance of hydrology-based and site-specific management strategies to maintain peatland stability and support sustainable land management.
This study evaluates the long-term effectiveness of enrichment planting as a restoration strategy in Central Vietnam, focusing on the performance of Erythrophleum fordii and Manglietia conifera. A restoration site was established in 2006 using a line planting over a 1-ha area, with no fertilizer applied and minimal tending during the first three years. After 18 years, E. fordii demonstrated superior growth performance, with a larger diameter at breast height (21.1 cm) and standing volume (94.56 m-3 ha-1), while M. conifera showed a lower diameter at breast height (16.8 cm) and standing volume (55.15 m-3 ha-1). Survival rates differed significantly between species, with E. fordii achieving 88.0% compared to 73.3% for M. conifera. Notably, M. conifera had better stem quality (90.9%) compared to E. fordii (80.8%). Regression analyses revealed weak to moderate correlations between growth parameters for E. fordii, indicating complex growth dynamics, while M. conifera exhibited minimal correlations, suggesting other factors influence its development. These findings highlight the species-specific trade-offs and complementary roles in mixed-species planting. This research provides descriptive evidence of the potential for enrichment planting to establish valuable tree species in degraded forests, emphasizing the importance of species selection and management strategies for achieving restoration objectives in sustainable forest management.
The post-pandemic resurgence of nature-based tourism has intensified visitor pressure on ecologically sensitive areas such as Taman Negara Pahang, Malaysia, prompting a renewed focus on sustainable visitor management strategies. This study explored the awareness, acceptance, and perceived effectiveness of non-personal interpretation among local nature guides, with attention to its role in complementing traditional guiding experiences. Using a qualitative design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen certified local guides and analyzed thematically, guided by Rogers’ innovation diffusion theory. The findings revealed varied responses regarding awareness and understanding, with some guides viewing non-personal interpretation, such as signage and panels, as beneficial for enhancing storytelling and engaging independent visitors. Others expressed concerns about redundancy, reduced guide-visitor interaction, and the diminished role of personal interpretation. Key determinants of acceptance or resistance included compatibility with guiding roles, perceived complexity, and relative advantage. Overall, non-personal interpretation was recognized as a potentially valuable tool when strategically integrated and well-maintained. The study concludes that effective implementation requires participatory planning, alignment with guiding practices, and ongoing support from park authorities. These insights inform interpretive management strategies and highlight the importance of empowering local guides in developing inclusive, effective, and sustainable visitor engagement approaches in protected areas.
This systematic literature review investigates the role of social capital in the success and challenges of tropical forest governance and social forestry models in Southeast Asia. Amidst the climate and deforestation crises, understanding the factors that support legitimacy and sustainability is crucial, especially how social capital influences governance and community empowerment. Using a PRISMA-based systematic review approach, this study analyzes 15 peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2025. The results indicate that social capital, whether bonding, bridging, or linking, is critical to building local legitimacy in tropical forest governance, often more influential than formal authority in promoting sustainable empowerment. Social capital also functions as a multi-dimensional asset (cultural, political, and economic) but can reinforce inequalities. Theoretically, this study enriches the understanding of social capital by highlighting its role in power struggles. The results advance the scholarly debate by demonstrating how strategic investment in all three forms of social capital can transform social forestry policies toward genuine empowerment, sustainability, and equity. While the dominant focus on Indonesia limits generalizability, this study offers a significant comparative synthesis of tropical forest governance in the region.
Yogyakarta's landscape is known for having experienced drought hazard. At the same time, there is a native tropical tree that has the ability to store the water and cope with the emerging drought. In this regard, this study is aiming to evaluate the potential distribution of the tropical native gayam forest tree (Inocarpus fagifer Forst.) to cope with the drought in the Yogyakarta landscape. Samplings of I. fagifer covered four districts (Sleman, Kulonprogo, Bantul, and Gunung Kidul) and one city (Yogyakarta City) and implemented from January to March 2025. The potential distribution was estimated using MaxEnt. The drought was estimated using remote sensing. The resulting model gained an AUC of 0.804, confirming that I. fagifer can adapt to low rainfall and has the potential to inhabit areas with drought. Bantul, Sleman, and Kulonprogo were districts where the I. fagifer potential distribution areas exceeded almost five to seven times the drought areas. This information can be used as a baseline and recommendation from village to district levels to start to mainstream and disseminate the planting of tropical native trees as a nature-based solution to cope with the drought hazards across Yogyakarta's landscape.
This study aims to discover the private sector’s perspective on the sustainable transition of degraded forestlands, including the transformation of oil palm plantations in forest areas into multipurpose forests, identify current barriers in adopting sustainable multipurpose forest management practices on financing and policy aspects, and explore how the private sector can step up its role in forestland restoration. This study was based on field observations, key informant interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), and literature reviews. This study aims to navigate a path for policy implementation toward decarbonization, as tenurial conflicts, particularly between oil palm plantations and forest areas, are critical for sustainable forest management in Riau. The private sector's interest in sustainable multipurpose forest management is higher when additional benefits from non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are high. This study also found that the private sector’s desire to support sustainable multipurpose forest management stems from the potential benefits of carbon trading. Regarding the carbon market, most respondents are willing to join when carbon prices are USD4–6 ton-1 of CO2e. It indicates that the private sector is willing to support the domestic carbon market as regulated under the Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation 21/2022. While the private sector has complied with most transformative policies and mechanisms, respondents expect further incentives and support, particularly to resolve the forestland conflict.
The paper thereby joins the discussion on the fast-changing research landscape of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in forest management, providing a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. A dataset of 241 documents is retrieved from the Scopus database, whose analyses are done using advanced bibliometric tools available within the Bibliometrix package in R Studio. The study maps the intellectual structure of the field, identifies its key themes, and traces their evolution from 1987 to 2024. The bibliometric approach allows for the identification of core authors, influential journals, leading institutions, and geographical distribution of contributions, thereby painting a clear picture of the knowledge dynamics within the domain. The findings underline the central place PPP holds in the face of such global challenges as climate change, preservation of biodiversity, and sustainable development but bring into sharper focus the governance and institutional frameworks that underpin these partnerships. Special attention is paid to the policy discourses and academic debates surrounding PPP arrangements, especially in developing countries where forest governance is often contested. This paper identifies major emerging trends in future research, in particular, the integration of cutting-edge technologies like machine learning. It fills this critical gap with a holistic overview of the current state of the art in forest management PPPs, thus offering useful insights for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners who want to enhance the effectiveness of such partnerships in achieving sustainable environmental outcomes.
