Ecological Perspective, Perception, and Attitude of Local Communities Toward Managing and Utilizing the Mangrove Ecosystem in Lampung Province, Indonesia

Abstract

Mangrove damage is caused by environmental changes in the surrounding area as well as direct and indirect pressures on the existence of mangroves. The preservation of mangrove forests is inseparable from the perceptions and behavior of the community in managing and utilizing mangrove forests. Community decisions to take action in the environment will be rooted in the reciprocal relationship created between humans and their environment. This research investigates the history of mangrove management and the ecological perspectives, attitudes, and perceptions of communities toward managing and utilizing mangroves and compares the management and ecology of two mangrove areas in Lampung Province, Indonesia. This study used structured questionnaires with 97 respondents in Margasari and 48 in Sidodadi who live around mangrove forests. The question related to utilizing mangrove ecology, community perceptions of mangrove forests, and participation in mangrove management. The results showed that the people of Margasari and Sidodadi had positive perceptions of mangrove forests. The number and frequency of people participating in mangrove management in Sidodadi were higher than those in Margasari, but in general, the participation in both villages was low. Neither village utilizes mangrove timber. The utilization of nontimber mangrove products in Margasari is more diverse than in Sidodadi; Margasari has ten types of utilization, while Sidodadi has only four types. The condition of mangrove vegetation cover during the last ten years has the same trend; mangrove cover area has decreased, although there was a slight increase in Sidodadi. Different factors influence the decrease; in Margasari, it is influenced by natural factors, while in Sidodadi, it is influenced by human factors.