When local practices oppose conservation policies: the role of local elites in preventing
encroachments in National ParksA case study at Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Sumatera, Indonesia.
By Yulia Rahma Fitriana, Jhon Roy Sirait and Patrice Levang
“Taking stock of smallholder and community forestry: Where do we go from here?”
Montpellier, 24 - 26 March 2010
Presentation Plan1. Introduction:
Encroachment within National Parko Conservation versus developmento The case study: Bukit Barisan Selatan National Parko Methods
2. Results and discussion o Law enforcement: an efficient tool to protect the Park? o Implementing low enforcement to meet the diverse
needs of villageso Law enforcement and encroachment level o Law enforcement is not easy to implemento Law enforcement must target local elites not the
individual squatters
3. Conclusion
1. Introduction:
Encroachment within National Park
Conservation versus development
Flora and Fauna in Protected Area
People
The case study: Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP)
Locating BBSNP in Indonesia
Coffee Plantations in the Park
People involved in coffee plantation activities
People
Implementation of law enforcement: is it a solution?
Research questions:-Why is there such a variations in the number of encroachment along the National Park?- Is law enforcement capable of securing the border of the Park or there other elements at play?
Flores and Faunas in Protected Area
Methods
Literature Review
Data collection was gathered from:
11 villages around the Park
Park’s officers
63 hamlets chiefs (6000 HH)
Involved NGOs
Location of villages around the ParkSource: Gaveau (2009)
Village sample
2. Results
Law Enforcement: an efficient tool to protect the Park?
Typology of households within the villages
1. Villagers live and hold coffee plantations outside the Park2. Encroachers live in the village and hold plantations both inside
and outside the park3. Squatters live and hold coffee plantations inside the Park4. Landless farmers who do not have land ownership
Villagers
Encroachers
Squatters
Protection forest
National ParkVillage area
Diversity of Implementation of Law Enforcement around the Park
0
2.5
5
0 2.5 5
San
ctio
nle
vel
Patrol frequency
Tebing Rambutan
Pelita Jaya
Negeri Ratu PenumbangPekon Mon
Pagar Bukit
Pemerihan
Way Nipah
Pesanguan
1. Low patrol level and sanction frequency2. High patrol level and low sanction frequency3. Low patrol level and high sanction frequency4. High patrol and sanction frequency
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
San
ctio
nle
vel
Patrol frequency
Household proportion per village
Bumi Hantatai
Pekon Mon
Negeri RatuPenumbang
Pesanguan
18% 6%
57%
19%
80%
13%
7%
73%
14%
4% 9%
26%
46%
19%
9%
Trimulyo
46%
37%
17%
19%60%
21%
Pagar Bukit
Pelita Jaya
Tebing Rambutan
Pemerihan
Rata Agung
46%
35%
15%
4%
96%
1%
3%
44%
12%
32%
12%
46%
11%
36%
7%
Law enforcement and encroachment level
Law enforcement is not easy to implement
HIDE OR BRIBE?
• Comparison between forest rangers, National Park’s officers and surface and local people
•Corruption and collusion in the law enforcement system
Law enforcement must target local elites not the individual squatters
ProBeing involved in Park management: extension programs, rural development projects, maintaining the Park’s boarders, determining local policy regarding the Park’s protection
ConsNeglecting the Park protection policy and support the encroachment activity
4. Conclusion
Coffee plantations inside protected area are the important source of income for most villages households in the around the Park.
The intensification of law enforcement applied until now can not solve the problem of increasing number of encroachers in the Park.
The role that local elites play can be both beneficial and harmful to the Park’s conservation.
The role of local elites must be considered while creating conservation enforcement: rewarding or punishing the local leaders in all around the Park.
THANK YOU