Local Communities In Management Research Articles

AN AMBIGUOUS PERCEPTION OF SUMATRAN ORANGUTANS (Pongo abelii) BY LOCAL COMMUNITY IN TANGKAHAN, LEUSER ECOSYSTEM, INDONESIA

The interaction between the local community and orangutans is often perceived as mere conflict. Here, we delve into the intricacies of the local perceptions of orangutans by employing semi-structured interviews as a part of an ethnoprimatological approach. Our focus is on the Tangkahan ecotourism area, the Leuser ecosystem, Indonesia. Respondents were selected through convenience sampling. There are 16 respondents, the majority is Batak Karo ethnicity. Our findings reveal a complex and ambiguous local perception towards orangutans, encompassing both positive and negative aspects. In some cases, orangutans are perceived as pests to durian crops and potentially dangerous. In other cases, orangutans are also perceived as human resemble, attractions for tourism, and deserving of protection. We also found some folklore tells that orangutans are human relatives. The positive values of orangutans are likely influenced by ecotourism activities that actively involve the local community in management and development efforts.

Environmental sustainability through Sendang Sombomerti ecotourism management

Ecotourism is a model of sustainable tourism that is environmentally sound and needs to be developed. Ecotourism needs to be developed because it prioritizes environmental sustainability and pays attention to the balance of interactions between humans and nature. Thus, finding out how and to what extent ecotourism management supports environmental sustainability is this research’s focus point and objective. The method used in this research is a qualitative descriptive type. The descriptive type was chosen because it aims to obtain an overview of how and to what extent the local community ability to preserve the environment through the management of Sendang Sombomerti ecotourism in Sombomerten Village, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta. Primary data and secondary data also support data collection. Research informants were selected using the snowball sampling technique. The collected data were then analyzed using source triangulation. Based on the results of field data analysis, it is known that the local community management of Sendang Sombomerti ecotourism in preserving the environment can be categorized as good because it is by the principles of ecotourism development. So that realizing good environmental sustainability will be easily achieved and maintained, community economic sustainability will also be more easily realized.

Agroecological transitions to sustainability and biosphere reserves

ABSTRACT We examine the potential of local agroecological transitions to sustainability in Spain and their interaction with Biosphere Reserve (BR) designation. The BR program has experienced great success in Spain however questions linger regarding their contribution to agricultural sustainability. Here, we evaluate the performance of two selected local agroecological initiatives through a Coupled Human and Natural Systems (CHANS) approach focusing, specifically, on their potential contribution to community resilience. To do so, we collected survey data from participants in one local agroecological initiative in the non-BR designated “La Vera” area and in the “Mariñas Coruñesas e Terras do Mandeo” BR. We found that participants valued positively the achievements of both initiatives but identified two important obstacles for CHANS community resilience: 1) lack of economic competitiveness of the products and services offered due to the higher prices of agroecological products when compared with conventionally produced market-oriented competitors and, 2) governance obstacles related to subsidy dependence and excessive governmental regulations of local community management practices and decision-making. Though there were no statistically significant differences between BR and non-BR survey data, non-BR respondents did identify more governance issues than BR respondents suggesting that BR designation may empower local communities institutionally providing them with more decision-making leverage in their interactions with the administration.

Public Administration and Disaster Management: Assessment on the Prevention, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery efforts of the Cebu City Government to Typhoon Odette

This study attempted to evaluate how the city integrated all of its disaster management measures to already ease the hardships of the populace. With the aid of a validated survey questionnaire created by the researcher, the results were gathered by convenience sampling. Utilizing frequency and percentage distribution, the data were examined. According to the results, women make up the majority of respondents, and they tend to be between the ages of 26 and 35. The results showed that at least 56 percent of respondents are aware, while 44 percent are unaware of the government's initiative. Findings showed 52 percent were minimal which means no roof/wall detached during the Typhoon Odette, 40 percent were moderate, or some roof or wall detached, while 8 percent were severe, or all roof/ wall was detached when it comes to the severity of damage. Furthermore, the respondent’s level of satisfaction with the prevention, preparedness, and response measures taken by the Cebu City Government during Typhoon Odette stated that 62 percent of respondents, or the majority, expressed a moderate level of satisfaction with the initiatives and measures implemented, compared to 30 percent who expressed a low level of satisfaction and only 8 percent who expressed a high level of satisfaction. The researchers suggest this study to help identify the crucial areas to concentrate on and to strengthen in order to improve the local community's management of disaster risk and reduction in the years to come.

Uticaj stilova upravljanja na posvećenost zaposlenih u lokalnim samoupravama

Local government as a part of the independent management of local communities represents the basic organization of government. Management is a process of guiding employees toward activities that are relevant to achieving local government goals. Many authors analyzed this subject in their work, while this subject, as well as management styles and the influence of management styles on the commitment of employees in local government, remains unexplored, especially in the context of the Republic of Serbia. The main goal of this research is to look into the influence of management styles on local government employee dedication. This research was conducted during July and August of 2022 and includes a sample of 70 examined local government employees in Serbia. The influence of management styles (transactional, transformational, and passive) on employees was tested with the use of linear regression. The results of this research conclude that transactional leadership has a medium level of influence on local government employee dedication, while the level of transformational management influence on local government employee dedication is high. In the conclusion of this research results are discussed and limitations are set as well as the practical implications of this work.

The role of ecotourism in developing local communities in Indonesia

ABSTRACT Ecotourism has evolved into a strategy for establishing sustainable livelihoods and plays a vital role in the management of local communities. It confronts numerous difficulties despite appearing to be the ideal tool for enhancing socio-economic development. This study examined how ecotourism helps local communities thrive through a case study of a tourist village in Wringinputih, Borobudur, Central Java, Indonesia. A series of observations and interviews were conducted to learn more about the ecotourism of rural development. The results showed two opposing views on the importance of the concept. It considerably improves perceptions of openness, ties-based local communities and resource preservation. On the other side, there are considerable obstacles to the tourist village’s effective sustainability, including corruption, local disbelief in the government, and a lack of ecotourism in planning initiatives. Recommendations are made on how the development programme can offer a sharp analysis to comprehend the characteristics of local communities in the planning and management process.

The structure of the mangrove forests of Kiunga-Pate Island conservancies in Kenya are shaped by selective harvesting and natural mortalities

Lamu archipelago is endowed with rich biodiversity including Kenya's largest continuous acreage of mangroves (approx. 33,000 ha) among other ecosystems making it a hotspot for management and conservation efforts. Yet, the involvement of the local community in management in this area is still in its infancy, with threats from large-scale developments, population growth, and climate change on the rise. Here, the structural status of the mangroves around Pate Island and Kiunga Marine National Reserve (KMNR) was assessed and information applied to guide and promote community-based conservation, as well as the development of the national mangrove management plan. Stratified and random spot sampling was used to collect vegetation data and mapping undertaken to estimate the mangrove cover change between 1995 and 2014. There was a loss in mangrove cover of up to 22.6% over 19years. A substantial loss was associated with illegal selective harvesting outside the KMNR, some clear-cutting to pave way for large-scale development and natural mortality of overgrown mature trees within the KMNR. In particular, natural mortality was found to hinder natural regeneration within the KMNR. The results however showed a generally stable system with potentially sustainable levels of natural regeneration and recoveries in isolated patches. These results reveal two management actions: raising awareness of mangrove ecosystems' ecological value and controlling old-growth harvesting in the KMNR to facilitate natural regeneration and development of young vigorous forest through gap creation. This information provides a strong foundation for conservation planning including future mangrove restoration and conservation activities. A comprehensive coordinated conservation strategy that links conservation to communities, livelihoods, and governance frameworks is recommended.

Local Communities’ Awareness on Payments for Ecosystem Services for Improved Livelihood and Conservation of Nyando Wetland, Kenya

Nyando wetland provides several ecosystem goods and services, i.e., provisioning, cultural, supporting and regulating which are essential for human well-being for making life possible and worth living. Payment for Ecosystem Services presents one key question in current literature on whether local communities are aware of ecosystem services provided by wetlands. This paper contributes to the understanding of the local community’s level of awareness of the ecosystem services provided by Nyando wetland in Kenya as a strategy to improve protection of wetlands. The study is significant as it proposes policy options that can assist conservation authorities and local communities in management of wetlands. A stratified random sampling based on two administrative sub-counties, namely Nyando and Nyakach was employed to collect quantitative data from 394 households using a structured questionnaire. The quantitative data was subjected to descriptive statistics and Chi-square test which were performed in SPSS version 20. The results confirmed that the local community is more conversant with the provisioning ecosystem services (37.7%) compared to the other classes of ecosystem services. Despite the locals being involved in community based natural resource conservation initiatives, majority of the respondents (69%) were not familiar with the concept of Payment for Ecosystem Services. Therefore, there is need to create awareness and capacity building to local communities on the importance of both the wetland ecosystem services and Payment for Ecosystem Services in conservation of wetlands for enhanced community livelihoods.
 Keywords: Payment for ecosystem services; wetland; conservation; community; livelihood; awareness

Examining Linkages among Livelihood Strategies, Ecosystem Services, and Social Well-Being to Improve National Park Management

This research examines perceptions of ecosystem services (ES) and social well-being in the Wuyishan National Park, China. This study analyses the importance of and linkages between them based on the impact of new designation of protected areas on this social-ecological system. Realisation of rural well-being is critical to park-people relations in populated protected areas, and effective resolution is needed to achieve positive conservation outcomes. We conducted 372 structured interviews with community members with different livelihood strategies. Key findings from the research include: (1) the importance of provisioning (e.g., tea, rice, timber) and cultural ES (e.g., local culture, eco-tourism) is related to both current livelihood necessity and future development pursuit. (2) The perceived material well-being is higher than spiritual well-being, and high social well-being is closely related to high-income groups and those that think highly of cultural services, i.e., those engaged in non-agricultural activities (e.g., tourism) and tea cultivation. (3) Cultural values are better preserved in tea and rice cultivation and tourism, but in general, they are not incorporated to improve social well-being. The results suggest that Protected area (PA) management of local communities must seek cultural valorisation for differentiated livelihood strategies for rural people’s sustainable livelihood and stability of the social-ecological system.

Persepsi Masyarakat Lokal Terhadap Pengembangan Hutan Mangrove Sebagai Kawasan Ekowisata Di Kampung Ruar Distrik Biak Timur Kabupaten Biak Numfor

The mangrove forest area of ​​Kampung Ruar, East Biak District, is an area that has traditionally been a place for fishing and lime-making efforts by the community who have been hereditary. This condition raises questions from various parties whether this location is suitable to be developed as a mangrove ecotourism destination. Development of Mangrove Ecotourism by the Papua Provincial Forestry Service as a tourist attraction by utilizing local natural potential and supporting tourism policies in Biak Numfor Regency. This study aims to see the socio-cultural conditions of local communities in the Mangrove Forest Area of ​​Kampung Ruar, Biak Timur District, Biak Numfor Regency as an ecotourism area and to assess the local community's perceptions of the development of ecotourism areas in providing benefits to the community both economically and socio-culture in Kampung Ruar Distik Biak Regency. Timur Biak. The study hasli revealed that the perception of local communities about ecotourism (60%), community knowledge about resources (70%) and understanding of community knowledge about forest damage and aspects of forest protection are very good (67), most (49%) people who understand that the potential for ecotourism development has future prospects. The four alternative strategies for mangrove ecotourism in Kampung Ruar, Biak Timur District, Biak Numfor District in Kampung Ruar are as follows: (a) Development of a Tour Package between Mangrove Ecotourism and TBTA Biak; (b) Increase Knowledge and Community Empowerment; (c) Mangrove Rehabilitation and Community Empowerment; and (d) Mentoring and involvement of local communities in management.

Socio-Spatial Changes in Danwei Neighbourhoods: A Case Study of the AMS Danwei Compound in Hefei, China

This paper analysed socio-spatial changes in old urban neighbourhoods (Danwei compounds) in Chinese cities as a result of two major national level reforms: the Reform and Opening Up and the Urban Housing reform in 1978 and 1997, respectively. Existing research indicates fundamental changes have taken place in the political, economic and social aspects of Danwei compounds. However, there is a paucity of research on micro-level changes. To understand how these reforms have affected the social-spatial schema of Danwei Compounds, the study utilised mapping, key person interviews and field observation in AMS compound, Hefei city of Anhui province. This paper compared the AMS Danwei Compound before and after the reforms in terms of public spaces, building features and compound management. The study found that the AMS Danwei Compound has experienced a significant reduction in public space, an increase in building density and a reconfiguration of compound management actors. The study suggests the need for local planning authorities and government to pay attention to planning and design of the old city core by emphasising improvement in public spaces, attention to compact design principles for urban neighbourhood planning, and establishment of local community management body.

Crafting grassroots’ socio-environmental governance for a coastal biosphere rural community in Campeche, Mexico

Campeche, Mexico's, northern coastal zone constitutes part of a National Biosphere Reserve known as Los Petenes. Small rural communities skirt this saltwater marsh wetlands protected area. Flanking Los Petenes' eastern edge, the Mayan village Tankuche's economy revolves around small plot slash-and-burn agriculture and seasonal work at local fisheries located 30 km to the west. As a particular freshwater springs peten within a saltwater marshland niche, El Remate, sustains Tankuche's people, and acts as a sacred space and recreational hub to an ever increasing local and regional tourism, particularly during holidays. The social-environmental-system (SES) abusive relationship between El Remate and Tankuche has strained equilibrium thresholds for the past thirty years. In 2010 Campeche's state government intervened with a participatory action research program to build basic infrastructure and restore El Remate's environment. This governmental mediation process triggered a transformative environmental governance practice that placed local decision-making procedures at the forefront to create a uniquely innovative management scenario rarely documented in developing countries. This article illustrates the entire process using a key multi-leveled, multi-scaled administrative model. The authors project roles involved building local community management skills while conserving social wellbeing and environmental health. We discuss some minor obstacles while creating this singular transformative governance prototype and analyze process results to foster local and greater regional implications. Transformative environmental governance programs positively address underlying challenges, while at the same time fully recognizing vulnerability conditions' viable thresholds that coalesce to promote more complete social participation and local empowerment, while, at the same time building organizational aptitudes and competence in EGA associations that generate developmental retro-alimentation processes.

Managerial assets of territorial communities: theoretical approaches and applied aspects

The article investigates the theoretical approaches and applied aspects of the managerial assets of local communities in modern conditions of decentralization transformations in Ukraine. Scientific approaches to the interpretation of the concepts «personnel», «staff», «human resources», and «managerial asset» are distinguished. The paper suggests treating the managerial asset of the local community as a set of highly qualified specialists in the field of asset management of local communities, who have leadership skills, a certain set of skills, and sufficient experience to conduct efficient professional activities, as well as the ability to learn quickly and adapt to change. Since the managerial assets of the local community include not only representatives of local governments but also the private sector and non-governmental organizations, it is advisable to distinguish between the concepts of staff of local communities and their managerial assets. In our opinion, the key difference between them is that the managerial asset includes specialists who do not always have to be employees of state and governmental agencies. At the same time, it should be noted that a lot of studies focus on representatives of governmental agencies. Problems, threats, and obstacles to the efficiency of the managerial assets of local communities are considered. The domestic practice of forming the managerial assets of the local communities is highlighted. The world practice of forming the managerial assets of local communities on the example of Great Britain is covered. Three main categories of the managerial asset of the territorial community are identified: representatives of the state, representatives of the private sector, representatives of the non-governmental sector. Effective asset management of the local communities requires the involvement and joint efforts of representatives of these categories. The working relationship between these three groups and their involvement in the asset management process also builds trust and leads to long-term partnerships to further promote and build efforts.

Biocultural conservation in the sacred forests of Odisha, India

SummaryBiocultural and indigenous approaches to conservation, such as the sacred forests of India, are increasingly being recognized and valued. At these sites, the ecological aspects as well as the local community management and cultural significance of the landscape contribute to conservation success. From 2012 to 2015, we investigated five sacred forests in western Odisha (India) that varied in size from 1 to 1000 ha. Through interviews with 81 residents, we explored the types of groves, their use and management approaches. We investigated levels of grove disturbance and plant use with botanical survey methods. Some groves experience pressures from annual pilgrimage visitors, and we documented the relative impacts of pilgrims and other activities using ethnographic methods. Community participation or management by the Forest Department alone has not been completely effective in conserving these sacred natural sites; however, collaborative work can contribute to successful conservation. Continued community involvement is key to future biodiversity conservation in the sacred groves.

Social capital of local communities in the water resources management: an insight from Kepulauan Riau

This paper draws the process of water resources management of local communities by using the social capital point of view. By using a comparative case study, this research was conducted in two regions in Kepulauan Riau, Senggarang and Mantang. Social capital of local communities, such as norms, trust, beliefs, and gotong-royong play a significant role in the process of governing water resources in different ways. This paper contributes to the study of water resources management by recognizing the social capital of local communities. In practical terms, this study is also valuable to the practice of water resources management in the local context in Indonesia. The theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of the study are discussed.

Unpacking ‘gender’ in joint forest management: Lessons from two Indian states

Gender inequalities and social exclusions in community-based forest management have garnered attention, particularly in South Asia. Yet, framings that homogenize women and marginalized groups fail to capture the nuanced processes by which such exclusions occur. Despite provisions for women in local community management institutions, numerous constraints hinder their active participation in forest governance. Understanding participation in JFM requires attention not only to gender, but also to the diversified interests and experiences women hold and the unequal power relations in which they are enmeshed. Based on 85 semi- structured interviews with women and men farmers, JFM committee members, local authorities, NGO staff and Forest Department officials, we explore emic perspectives of how social differentiation shapes participation in JFM. We compare the situation in Karnataka, a wealthier Indian state that is considered exemplary for JFM, with that in Madhya Pradesh, a poorer Indian state inhabited by tribal populations, where JFM is poorly functional. We show that exclusions in Uttara Kannada occur along gender and caste lines, whereas among tribal groups in Mandla, women of certain ethnicities are particularly disadvantaged in JFM despite their extensive forest use. Grouping marginalized groups into homogeneous categories (e.g. as Scheduled Tribes or Scheduled Castes), as do Indian laws addressing tribal issues, deters focus from the inequalities that occur among groups, and from their relevance in shaping local experiences. Place-based environmental and political economic histories further shape local interests and participation in JFM. We argue that a focus on gender is necessary but not sufficient to understand social exclusions in JFM, and that gender must be understood in relation to other factors of social differentiation.

Mangrove ecosystem for sustainable tourism in Dampier Strait Marine Protected Area Raja Ampat

Mangrove forests are considered very productive ecosystems in tropical coastal areas. They consist of valuable resources which provide services in terms of physical, biological and socio-economic functions. Human intervention and development have impacted the coastal ecosystems. The research was carried out to assess the biodiversity of mangrove ecosystem for sustainable tourism in Dampier strait, Raja Ampat. The data collected in Manswar islands, Gam islands, and the southern part of Waigeo island, and Batanta islands. Mangrove sampling was carried out at 7 (seven) stations which were selected randomly. The baseline data were used to develop the model of integrated and sustainable mangrove forest management in marine protected area Raja Ampat. The maximum number of visitors to each mangrove destination in Dampier Strait MPA ranged from 376 persons per year for Pandawa Resort to 39,486 person per year for the Nature Reserve Waringkabom. Two management areas were designed for mangrove ecotourism, namely Batanta management area and Gam island, Manswar islands, and South of Waigeo management area. These areas could be assigned as mangrove ecotourism based on resort management, based on property right of local community management and local customary management, and based on partnership and collaboration management.

Vertical Distribution of Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen in a Tropical Community Forest of Nepal

This paper reports the findings of a research conducted in Kankali community forest, Chitwan, Nepal, to quantify the vertical distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen in 1 m soil profile depth. This community forest represents a tropical Shorea robusta-dominated community forest. It was found that the soil had 122.36 t/ha SOC and 12.74 t/ha nitrogen in 1 m soil profile in 2012, with 0.99% soil organic matter and 0.10% nitrogen concentration in average. Carbon and nitrogen ratio (C/N ratio) of the soil was found to be 9.90. Both bulk density and C/N ratio were found increasing with increase in soil depth. The SOC and nitrogen were found significantly different across different soil layers up to 1 m soil profile depth. The average pH of the forest soil was found to be 5.3. Looking into the values of stocks of SOC and nitrogen, it is concluded that Kankali community forest has played a role in global climate change mitigation by storing considerable amounts of SOC. Involvement of local community in management of tropical forest cannot be overlooked in the process of climate change mitigation.

IMPLEMENTATION OF REGIONAL POLICY IN RURAL AREAS ON THE EXAMPLE OF VILLAGE RENEWAL IN LOWER SILESIA COMPETITION

The aim of the research is to assess the targeting of financial resources granted by the Lower Silesia province self-government as part of Village Renewal in a Lower Silesia competition based on types and categories of projects implemented in 2008-2018. A properly directed management of local communities can have a positive impact on the development of the entire region. Not only do large EU funds have a real impact on improving the quality of life of rural residents, through cooperation initiatives, but small grants financed from the funds of province self-governments also do. An example is the Village Renewal programme – the longest-running regional programme for activating local communities. Activities in the field of village renewal implemented in Lower Silesia since 2008 indicate the dynamic progress of social participation. The analysis of projects co-financed from the province self-government proved that they were mainly directed at supporting the development of socio-cultural infrastructure as well as sports and recreation and leisure infrastructure. The experience of the self-government of the Lower Silesia province shows that external intervention in local systems through targeted regional projects opens new possibilities for shaping the socio-economic policy of rural areas.

Cognitive mapping concept of resource management for the viability of local communities

The local community is a complex socio-economic system, and its ability to function for an indefinitely long period of time (viability) is not investigated sufficiently today. The purpose of the research was, using the cognitive mapping, propose to the local community management developing their own management strategies to ensure its viability. Considering the weakly structured subject area of resource management for the viability of the local community and the complex dynamic nature of socio-economic processes, fuzzy cognitive reflection was suggested as a tool that provides opportunities for modeling the inherent complexity and uncertainty associated with socio-economic systems. This research shows a system of relations between concepts in the form of a causative network – a cognitive map of the resource management of a local community and proposes scales for measuring the concepts. During the simulation experiments, managed, indirectly managed and unmanaged resources for the viability of a local community were defined. In modeling, own income per inhabitant has been chosen as the target concept and as an indicator of the potential of an independent choice of direction for the development of the local community with the view toward the construction of resource management scenarios for the local community's viability. As a result of the simulation, there were proposed some strategies for the growth of ‘own income per inhabitant’ and some recommendations were given for building management scenarios within these strategies.