Coastal Community Empowerment Strategy and the Role of Local Informal Leaders

Abstract

This article discusses the empowerment of coastal communities and the role of local informal leader in mangrove forest conservation. Mangrove forest has an ecological function of protecting the environment, including: resisting coastal abrasion, tsunamis, and breeding grounds for marine biota. Socio-economically, mangrove forest provides the beauty and comfort of the environment and is as learning facilities, so that they can be packaged as a destination for tourism. The condition of mangrove forest has been damaged but there have not been many results of conservation efforts that have been made. The conservation program is top-down and does not involve local community participation. In order to realize community participation in mangrove forest conservation an active and creative role is needed from informal leaders. This study uses a qualitative approach and is carried out in two districts, namely Jember and Banyuwangi Regencies. The result shows that local informal leaders have a strategic position, unique, respected, able to be role models and drivers of community activities so that coastal communities can jointly carry out mangrove forest conservation activities.
 Keywords: local informal leaders, community empowerment, participation, conservation, mangrove forests.

Tingkat Partisipasi Masyarakat Dan Analisis Aktor Pada Rehabilitasi Mangrove Di Desa Karangsong, Kabupaten Indramayu, Jawa Barat

“…Sebaliknya, ketika pengelolaan mangrove tidak dilakukan dengan baik, tidak melibatkan masyarakat yang mempunyai kepentingan pada hutan mangrove, maka mangrove akan rusak dan terdegradasi. Purwowibowo et al (2018) menyebutkan bahwa tiga hal yang sangat penting dalam keberlanjutan ekosistem mangrove yaitu: pertama, keterlibatan institusi komunitas tentang pengelolaan ekosistem mangrove. Kedua, adanya sangsi bagi pelanggar peraturan dalam ekosistem mangrove, dan ketiga yaitu pengawasan.…”

“…keterlibatan ini juga dapat menciptakan aturan perlindungan bagi ekosistem mangrove yang baik dan sesuai dengan permintaan komunitas berkenaan dengan aturan yang ditetapkan, kepada pengenaan sangsi bagi yang melanggar. Demikianlah pengawasan ekosistem mangrove dari hulu ke hilir yang akan berkedudukan kuat (Purwowibowo et al, 2018).…”