Finding alternatives of livelihood sources for forest dependent communities in protected areas: a case study of Sebangau National Park, Central Kalimantan Province, Indonesia

Abstract

This study evaluates the impacts of the establishment of Sebangau National Park (SNP) in Indonesia, on local people’s livelihoods. SNP was established in 2004 and covers more than 560 thousand hectares of peat swamp forest in Central Kalimantan Province. SNP was a production forest for more than 20 years and almost half of the area has been degraded. SNP is surrounded by almost 50 thousand people whose livelihoods depend on SNP’s resources before, during, and after the changing status of the area from production to conservation forest. Nowadays, about 6-7% of local community are categorised as poor people and surviving from their subsistence livelihoods. This study shows that the establishment of the park changes the livelihood strategies of local communities. People shifted their livelihood sources from forest resource extractions, particularly logging, to agriculture (farming and fishing). Some strategies to maintain and improve the livelihoods of local communities within the restrictive regulations of SNP management include: (1) regulating the collection of non-timber forest products so that it would not threaten the ecological balance of the forests; (2) developing agroforestry system; (3) involving local communities in the rehabilitation programs within rehabilitation zone; (4) developing ecotourism; and (5) involving in communities in the REDD+ program prepared by SNP.