Why do greater forest tenure rights not enthuse local communities? An early observation on the new community forestry scheme in state forests in Indonesia

Abstract

The Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry recently issued a 35-year permit-based social forestry, called Izin Pemanfaatan Hutan Perhutanan Sosial (IPHPS), which was implemented in forestlands managed by the State Forest Corporation (SFC). IPHPS is a unique scheme because social forestry permits were previously granted on forestland unencumbered with rights. It provides more secure tenure rights (long-term permits), greater decision-making authority, and improved profit-sharing arrangements compared with the SFC’s co-management model. However, IPHPS has not attracted widespread interest from local communities. This paper aims to identify and to analyse factors that explain local communities’ low interest in the policy. Results show that local communities have not been attracted by the scheme because it requires them to undertake substantial investments in reforestation and make several payments to the government beyond their means. This paper highlights the specific challenges related to access mechanisms and benefits to local communities from the granted rights. Lastly, local communities were prone to manipulative persuasion by the SFC to continue the co-management model.

The Job Creation Law and REDD+: Possible synergies and challenges

“…August 2022 conservation, the entrepreneurialism element has proven contentious. On the one hand, low-carbon agriculture and forestry sectors are projected to provide a high number of green jobs (Government of Indonesia 2021), but one enduring assumption (that doesn't necessarily hold true) is that the handover of rights to use forestland would convince most rural settlers to stay and work in the agricultural and forestry sector (Afiff 2021;Ragandhi et al 2021). In the future, efforts to generate rural 'green' jobs should also focus on aspects pertaining to rural labour markets, migration, and whether the appropriation of only forest-use rights (with highly technical requirements) would really benefit emission reductions and the livelihoods of marginalized rural communities (Merten et al 2021).…”

The Floodplain Forests of the Mamberamo Basin, Papua, Indonesia (Western New Guinea): Vegetation, Soils, and Local Use

“…The constitutional right of communities to their customary lands and forests has been upheld by Indonesia's Constitutional Court [32]. Nonetheless, despite initial enthusiasm and ambitious targets for "returning forest," progress has been limited [101][102][103]. While government initiatives, including various programs labelled "community forestry" give the impression of returning control to local people, they can be viewed as a more-limited "manifestation of the state's interest in accommodating the interests and involvement of local communities in forest management" [33].…”

Effectiveness and Institutional Conditions in Social Forestry Program: Case Study of Forest Village Community Institution (LMDH) Sumber Makmur, Forest Management Unit (KPH) Malang

“…Furthermore, the government issued a regulation of the Minister of LHK P.39 in 2017 on implementing unique PS in the Perhutani region. The implication of the regulation was the evaluation of the existing PS program in the Perhutani area through Community Joint Forest Management (Pengelolaan Hutan Bersama Masyarakat or PHBM system) (Ota 2019;Ragandhi et al 2021;Supriyanto et al 2021).…”

“…On the other hand, our research site is still implementing the Kulin-KK scheme, although the regulations have changed. Changes in the structure of forest land governance that allow communities to obtain balanced management rights are very welcoming to the abovementioned new schemes (Ota 2019;Ragandhi et al 2021).…”