Non-wood forest products potency from community forest in Gempolan Village, Karanganyar Regency, Central Java

Abstract

Non-wood forest products (NWFPs) are part of forest ecosystem and it has certain functions that support ecosystem sustainability. Utilization of NWFPs is a sustainable use or utilization of by-products from trees or other forest products. The present study aimed to obtain basic information on the NWFPs species that cultivated in Gempolan Village. Therefore, the species density, relative density, frequency, relative frequency, and important value index was calculated. In addition, the utilization of NWFPs species was described based on the interview. Field observation was conducted in 38 community forest by making plots 40 × 25 m2. Furthermore, interview was conducted with the owner of those community forests to obtain information on the NWFPs utilization. The results showed that community forest management in Gempolan Village applies an agroforestry system with a random mixture and alternate row-cropping pattern. NWFPs can be classified as their function, namely as food, medicinal plant, animal feed, and spices/condiments. Most of the NWFPs were only used to meet their own needs. NWFPs that produces from community forest in Gempolan Village was dominated by multi-purposes tree species (fruits) such as durian, avocado, jengkol, petai, pakel, sawo, melinjo, jackfruit, and breadfruit.