Paper parks no more: Is sustainable park management possible?

M. Indrawan Jakarta

Protected parks continue to be a source of controversy in Indonesia as much as many other country of the South. Establishments of the parks are frequently based on biophysical considerations, but often overlook the socio-economic interests of the local communities. This often triggers resistance by those local communities, and the reason why certain protected areas have become "paper parks".

Paper parks exist only on paper despite their physical presence, because the stewards of such parks do not involve local communities as the main beneficiaries. Even the supposedly altruistic conservation measures may be equated with "commercialization", as was the case with the recently established Merapi-Merbabu National Park in Central Java.

Horizontal and vertical conflicts in managing national parks have emerged throughout most of Indonesia. Leuser National Park in northern Sumatra (lying in both North Sumatra and Aceh province), which used to be one of the most pristine and largest national parks in Indonesia, continues to be ruined by illegal logging, and the construction of the Ladia Galaska highway. This highway's construction, which effectively cuts the park in two, was also conducted without proper public consultation.

Local communities participating in illegal logging and land clearance have become a real problem for park authorities at Bukit Barisan Park in Lampung. The establishment of Ciremai Park in West Java, was immediately responded to with protestations by local NGOs and some local communities who felt they were never involved during the decision-making process.

At Kutai National Park in East Kalimantan, the local government released portions of protected lands to new settlers, which turned out to be used for uncontrollable logging and cultivation activities.

Different regional governments have staked claims over the rich marine resources of the Tomini Gulf (Central Sulawesi), a part of which was decreed last year by the central government as Togian National Park. The parks in Papua are commonly fraught with (frequently legitimate) traditional claims by indigenous communities needing short-term income, but frequently vulnerable to being coopted by illegal logging "investors" and then contribute to community poverty.

To maintain a sustainable park management it needs to facilitate communities and relevant stakeholders to make an informed choice and effective policies, respectively. Structured and frequent public consultation with people that live in the area -- the bottom-up approach -- which effectively takes the knowledge and perspectives from a variety of stakeholders may help.

First, proper resource valuation is needed. Costs incurred by local communities through the potential loss of income, for instance, should be calculated as such. Intangible items should also be calculated. For instance, what is the net value of clean water from Mt. Merapi, if the area is managed as a protected area? Accurate natural-resource accounting has actually been done for several national parks in Indonesia, including Kerinci- Seblat.

Second, the cost-benefit analysis should be disseminated so people can make informed decisions. Communications specialists and civil society organizations (CSOs) need to work together to translate the economic options to enable local communities to fully understand the mission.

Third, if all understand the public aspirations, it will be easier to make informed decisions. Do local communities think that the park has more costs or more benefits? Even in a heavily degraded ecosystem in uncontrolled new settlements, the indigenous local communities may still want the park, as was the case in Kutai. Even if local communities near the forest do not want a park established, at least proper dialog can lead to an informed choice.

If local communities are keen on a new park being established, the fourth step would be to foster negotiations between communities and the government. The private sector should be involved as well, including in cases of mining in protected forests. Clear and transparent rules and guidelines, including aims and objectives of collaborative management should be agreed upon.

The interest of local communities should be effectively represented to the highest level possible, by direct involvement, and from the planning stages. The rules and guidelines should also include pre-set arbitration mechanisms to resolve potential conflicts.

Local incentives need to be developed, for instance: supporting local agricultural systems, local innovations of renewable energy, local-specific environment-friendly technology, and perhaps even provision of scholarship to the local folks. Third party costs should be recognized as it is. User fees should be applied and be re-distributed to properly benefit the local communities. Local legislature, legal experts, community representatives and business entrepreneurs -- including small and medium enterprises need to be participated.

Fifth, formalize the social and economic agreements into the written rules and regulations such as regional regulations. Participatory zoning systems should be applied as needed.

Sixth, ensure that the land use policies in adjacent regions are synchronized to prevent conflicts of interest, especially between different regional administrations. Some parks in Indonesia encompassed more than one region, and cross even the provincial borders, for instance Leuser, Kerinci-Seblat and Dumoga-Bone. In regions with neighboring protected areas, measures must be spent to institutionalizing coordination mechanisms and synchronizing land use policies. The regional policies should necessarily comply with higher order rules and regulations, at the national level.

Seventh, participatory monitoring mechanisms should be incorporated into the regional regulations.

An effective partnership in park governance would need to include local government agencies and legislature, community representations, CSOs, as well as social specialists, communication specialists, legal specialists, local entrepreneurs and especially committed negotiators.

There are causes for optimism. Only last year, two community- based forums in Sulawesi (Forum Perduli Bunaken in Bunaken NP, and Ngata Toro in Lore Lindu NP) were recognized with international awards from the United Nations Development Program, for integrating poverty alleviation with nature conservation.

The writer is Assistant Editor of Tropical Biodiversity -- an international scientific journal published in Indonesia, He can be reached at tropbiod@pacific.net.id)