Determining the effectiveness of forest landscape governance: A case study from the Sendang landscape, South Sumatra

Abstract

We propose an approach to studying the effectiveness of governance arrangements to deal with complexity in forest landscapes. Using a landscape approach and standard performance audit procedures, we (1) describe the interactions among multiple sectoral actors (2) evaluate the effectiveness of governance arrangements to deal with complexity in a forest landscape, and (3) suggest recommendations for more effective multi sectoral forest landscape governance.We conducted a pilot effectiveness audit in the Sendang (Sembilang Lalan Dangku) landscape of South Sumatra, Indonesia. Conservation activities in Sembilang and Dangku need to be reconciled with developments in Lalan; a new feeder port, an established oil processing facility, and expanding oil palm plantations.We found that two sets of governance settings coexist in Sendang. By regulations, governance arrangements are highly centralised around the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Yet, in implementation, government authorities and their influence are not as stipulated; companies bypass the regulations, informal patronage arrangements have a major influence on outcomes, and there is no effective intermediary institution to liaise with all governance actors.We suggest three possible strategies to rationalise the regulatory framework for more effective implementation. (1) Align the regulations to more closely match implementation (2) invest in additional resources, budgetary, human, technological, and law enforcement (3) a hybrid of the first two with some additional resources and some regulatory changes because major change is expensive and time-consuming. To determine the most appropriate strategy, another audit on the efficiency and economy of each option is required.This research will contribute to alternative mechanism for mitigating conflicts among multi sector governance actors as well as to the body of knowledge.