Ensuring Community Development Sustainability on Biodiversity Park Development Plan

Abstract

Abstract The development of biodiversity parks is increasingly being encouraged as an ex-situ effort to conserve biodiversity in Indonesia. One of the cities that are attempting to build this biodiversity park is Cimahi City in West Java. The development of the biodiversity park will not only be related to bio-physical environment aspects, but also includes other aspects including social, economic, cultural and policy. This article aims to describe the local community’s perception of the development of a biodiversity park, and to assess the community’s readiness in its development. The study that underlies the writing of this article was carried out by applying qualitative cum quantitative design by conducting a survey of 100 community members, conducting in-depth interviews with a number of resource persons and conducting field observations. The results of the study show that because of their ignorance, most of the community members perceive that the construction of the biodiversity park has no risk in their lives. This is supported by measuring the level of community readiness for the construction of a biodiversity park which is in the denial/resistance stage. The communities have no motivation to act on issues and feel that there is nothing they need to do and they should not do anything. Therefore, to ensure the sustainability of the biodiversity park in this location, the proponent (Environment Office of Cimahi City) must conduct intensive socialization, involve local communities in every stage of development, make community members part of the management of the biodiversity park, and as carefully as possible identify various business opportunities and potentials that can be done by the affected community in the location in order to make them be independent.