The importance of development planning for the utilization of non-timber forest products in supporting the sustainability of protected forest area: A case study of pesawaran Forest Management Units (FMU), Lampung province, Indonesia

Abstract

The dynamic concept of ecosystem sustainability functions to maintain the benefits of social, economic, and ecological. A protected forest is a type of forest that functions as a life support system. This function is specific, so there is a need for a strategy to develop and maintain the sustainability of natural resources. The forest management unit (FMU) is a regulation on management at the site level. One of the KPHs in Lampung province, namely the Pesawaran FMU, has the potential for non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and environmental services. This research aims to analyze the forest utilization management plan in the Pesawaran FMU register. The number of primary respondents is three based on the Snowball Sampling technique. The analytical method used is the descriptive qualitative analysis based on information on primary and secondary data. It is supported by a SWOT analysis to analyze preferences for forest product utilization plans in the Pesawaran FMU according to conditions in the field. The results showed that all respondents stated that the Pesawaran FMU area had potential natural resources in the form of NTFPs and environmental services. It is necessary to optimize community empowerment so that they have the competence to develop this potential to be utilized as a creative economic business in the form of products selling value and using environmental services as tourist objects. There is a need for stakeholder involvement related to the coordination of management and utilization permits which can increase communication and reduce the risk of conflict.