Vague property status and future risk of mangroves: lesson learned from South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract

Mangrove forest management in South Sulawesi is challenging due to jurisdictional boundaries to biophysical processes, resource characteristics, and community development dynamics. The research aims to study the future risk of mangrove forest management growing on accretion land due to its vague status. Data and information were collected through in-depth interviews involving 17 key-informants selected by using the snowball method. Mangrove forest in the research site grows on accretion land, and it was classified as state property with Common Pool Resources (CPR) characteristics. Late attendance of the Indonesian government has instigated the “de jure” status of accretion land becomes illegitimate as the local community does not recognize it as state property. The situation leads to the ambiguity of mangrove forest property status, resulting in multilayer property formulation for several products/services/benefits generated. Several strategies to prevent its transformation into other usages are proposed, i.e., (a) improve the community understanding of the economic value of mangrove resource and risk if vanished; (b) strengthening and intensive socialization of regulations both at the local and higher-level; and (c) providing legal access for the community to manage mangrove forest through the development of Social Forestry Program in the area.