Identifying the agents and drivers of deforestation: an examination around Gunung Palung National Park, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

In preparing for the REDD+ activities, identification of agents and drivers of deforestation and forest degradation is expected, especially in broad areas with multiple agents and drivers. This study aims to examine an appropriate way of identifying and integrating various agents, drivers, and underlying causes by using combined statistical analysis with data gathered through household surveys near Gunung Palung National Park in Indonesia. Based on an overview of socio-economic characteristics, uses of the national park for farming and forest garden were estimated as potential drivers and evaluated by means of a multiple regression analysis. The combined methods also make it possible to estimate underlying causes such as inadequate land for farming inside the village. The principal component analysis with the scatter diagrams helped in recognising the socio-economic structure of sample households. These results can contribute to the design of appropriate REDD+ activities, like various capacity building and policy reforms, as readiness for the phased approach.