Local institutions: Regulation and valuation of forest use—Evidence from Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract

Forest management poses particular challenges as the pressure on forests is huge due to deforestation. In this context, the establishment of protected areas is a common conservation measure where institutions are put in place and sanctions regarding forest use are enforced. This paper focuses on the practice of sustainable forest management and the associated perspectives of local institutions at the rainforest margins of Lore Lindu National Park (LLNP) in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Our case study applies a qualitative social science research approach. Interviews and group discussions with relevant actors such as farmers, village authorities, the National Park authority, and non-governmental organization members were conducted. The Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework served to structure the study and to provide a set of questions to be considered concerning rules, participants, and conservation outcomes. State-induced formal rules are compared with traditional informal rules regarding natural resource use. Our results suggest that the current state-imposed formal rules have not been successfully implemented in the past. Insufficient boundary demarcation, and a lack of congruence between rules and local conditions have been identified as main reasons. Traditional informal rules are rather more respected by local people since they are adapted to traditional use rights and sanctions at the village level. Community conservation agreements (CCAs) are considered a promising tool to mediate between National Park conservation interests and local people's needs integrating traditional informal rules. However, the CCAs implemented in the LLNP area do not address existing differences in perception and behavior of indigenous people and migrants in the area. We argue that this is a central aspect in terms of successful CCA implementation and forest management. Thus, we recommend that the National Park authority should take the cultural diversity of the area seriously into consideration and integrate flexible and distinct socio-cultural strategies into its management processes.