Benefit Distribution from Forest Resources : Study of A Case in Mataliba', East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

This report objectives were to identify main of problems of people in Mataliba’; key actors; conflict contributors and to recommend implementation plans of participatory approach (PAR). The Dayak Bahau people living in Mataliba’, East Kalimantan, Indonesia has been faced with the problem of unequal distribution of benefits from the forest located in their customary area stemming from the operation of logging concessionaires granted permit by the government. This problem is exacerbated by the shrinking forest lands and the low income and the lack of alternative livelihood which are considered conflict contributors. Owing to the complexity of the problem and the involvement of other sectors such as the local and central governments, NGOs, private concessionaires and surrounding communities, it is necessary to utilize participatory approaches 63 Benefit Distribution from Forest Resources: Study of A Case in Mataliba’, East Kalimantan, Indonesia Amin Setyo LEKSONO Lecturer Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematic and Natural Sciences, University of Brawijaya, Malang, East Java 65145 INDONESIA E-mail: leksono72@yahoo.com Kenji SAKAMOTO Graduate Student Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi Hiroshima, 739-8529 JAPAN E-mail: b060599@yahoo.co.jp Florencio BALLESTEROS JR Assistant professor Environmental Engineering Graduate Program, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon, 1101 PHILIPPINES E-mail: balleste@gmail.com Yunus BAHAR Graduate Student Graduate School Student of Information Technology for Natural Resources, Management, Bogor Agriculture University MIT Building SEAMEO BIOTROP Campus Jl. Raya Tajur Km. 6 PO BOX 116, Bogor Indonesia E-mail: yunus-bahar@windowslive.com Diah RACHMAWATI Lecturer Faculty of Biology, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, INDONESIA E-mail: rbudiharjo@yahoo.com Takashi OKAMOTO Assistant professor Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi Hiroshima, 739-8529 JAPAN E-mail: tokamoto@hiroshima-u.ac.jp 【Research Note】 Journal of International Development and Cooperation, Vol.18, No.2, 2011, pp. 63-71 to arrive at a solution to the problem. In this report, Participatory Action Research (PAR) was applied to come up with a plan of action to empower the local people to an equitable distribution of forest resources benefits. The recommended plan of action to address shrinking forest land were as follows: securing funding for reforestation from the District Forestry Service (DFS), tapping farmers’ cooperative as partner in sourcing funds for reforestation, and securing agreement with neighboring villages to ensure proper land utilization. To address low income and the lack of alternative livelihood, the following actions were recommended: defining appropriate boundaries, developing land use plan, and formulating regulations that would govern small-scale logging operations.