BIODIVERSITY AND SOCIAL BENEFITS IN COMMUNITY-BASED FOREST MANAGEMENT: THE LEUSER ECOSYSTEM, INDOhTSIA A Thesis Presented to The Faculîy of Graduate Studies of the University of Guelph VINCENT J- DESCHAMPS In partial fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science April, 2000 O Vince Deschamps, 2000 National Library Bibliothèque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. nie Wellington OîtawaON KlAON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada Your iik? 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BIODIVERSITY AND SOCIAL BENEFITS IN COMMUNITY-BASED FOREST MANAGEMENT: THE LEUSER ECOSYSTEM, INDONESIA Vince Deschamps Advisor: University of Guelph, 2000 Dr. Hanry Cummings This thesis examines the ability of Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) systems to serve the dual function of maintaining biodiversity while providing benefits to local communities. It examines the relationship between biodiversity and social benefit in a variety of forest zones in the Manggamat Community Conservation Forest in South Aceh, Indonesia. The Manggarnat Cornmunity Forest is the flagship CBFM initiative in the Leuser Ecosystem, an area of global biodiversity significance. The CBFM system in Manggamat is guided by Adat, a traditional set of laws derived by the community in order to manage resources fiom the forest The research utilized a formative, results-based evaluative approach, and indicates that CBFM has the potential to balance the protection of keystone and other significant species with the ability to provide benefit at a level equal to, if not superior, other rural areas in South Aceh and the province of D.1- Aceh. Although the system is intended to distribute benefits in a equitable marner, there is some disparity in the distniution of incorne through unsustainable harvesting of timber for sale by a small rninority of resource users. While this puts the sustainability of the CBFM system at risk, it is a problem that is addressed in the research, and cm likely be resolved through negotiation at the community level using Adat in representing greater community interests. ACKNOPYLEDGMENTS This thesis marks the culmination of a long journey of exploration that 1began in May of 199 1 as a bright-eyed CUSO Couperant in the quaint fishing village of Tarnan Jaya in West Java, Indonesia. 1 started on my quest al1 alone, but 1met a lot of people during my journey. Many of them have helped me find my way; some have even corne with me. On a number of occasions 1 gave up, fnistrated, and were it not for the support and undertsanding of my wife Indah, my mother Wilma Deschamps, Indah's mother Aniek Suryati, my dear fiend Mïke Griffiths, and now my son Jacob, 1would not be wrïting these words today. These wondefil people inspire me to make the world a better place. Research cannot be carried out by ambitions alone, and 1wish to thank the following for making this undertaking a success. Funding for the research was generously provided by the CDA Awards for Canadians Program. Dr. Harry Cummings gave me the vision, skills, focus, and offered his wisdom on a range of topics over the past two years. Dr. David Rapport served on my Cornmittee and provided invaluable input to the research process. 1would also like to thank Dr. John Graham and Ms. Dora Goh fiom DRC in Singapore for meeting with me and giving me access to their substantial reference library. In Indonesia 1 am indebted to the Leuser Management Unit and its wonderhi staff, notably Mike, Dr. Kathryn Monk, Ken Proud and Jarnal Gaw-, as well as al1 the people who assisted me in the field and put up with my fiequent questions in the office. I wish the best to my fiends in Manggamat, especially Pak Bintara Yakup and Pak Nyak Merdu of YPPAMAM; 1 hope to see our chikiren play together someday. TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLEOFCONTENTS ............................................... ii LIST OF TABLES .................................................... vii ... LISTOFMAPS ...................................................... VIII ... LISTOFFIGURES ................................................... viii GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIA'HONS ......................... ix CHAPTERI-INTRODUCTION ......................................... 1 1.1 Problem Statement ...........................................1 1.2 Goals and Objectives ......................................... -7 1.3 Significance of the Research ................................... 4 2.4 OutIine of the Thesis ........................................ -4 CWTER2-LITEMTUREREVIEW ................................... 6 2.1 The State of Tropical Forests and Rural Cornmunities .............. -6 2.1.1 Lntegrated Conservation Development Projects (KDPs) and Protected Areas ...................................... -9 2.1.2 The Role of Buffer Zones .............................. 14 2.1.3 Comrnunity Forests as BufZer Zones ...................... 16 2.2 Ecosystem htegrity. Ecosystem Health and Biodiversity ............ 16 2.2.1 Ecosystem integr@ and Ecosystem Health ................. 16 2-32 Ecosystem Integnty and Biodiversity ..................... 18 2-23 Keystone Species as hdicators of Biodiversity .............. 19 2.2.3.1 Elephas macimus: Portrait of a Keystone Species ...... 19 2.2.4 Minimizing Stress: Managing the Buffer Zone at the Community Level ............................................... 21 2.3 Valuing Ecosystem SeMces .................................-22 2.4 Planning and Development Theones at Work .................... -25 2.4.1 Access and Barriers to Community Participation ........... -25 2 .4.2 Development Theory: S ustainable Development ........... -27 2.4.3 Planning Theorïes ................................... -29 2.4.3.2 Macro-level Planning Theory: Social Refonn .. ....... 29 2.4.3.2 Community-level Planning Theory: Social Leaming ...3 1 33 2.4.4 Planning for Sustainablility .............................33 2.4.5 Decentralization as the Supporîing Concept ............... -35 2.5 Summary ................................................. 36 mTER3-METBODOLOGY ........................................ 37 3.1 Refing the Research Question ......... .. ............. .. .... -37 3.2 Goals and Objectives .................................... .. -38 3.3 Field Research ............................................ -40 3.3 .1 Logistics and Support Activities ........................ -41 3 -3-1.1 Institutional Support and Involvement .............. -42 3.3.1.2 Site Selection .................................-42 3 2.1 -3Persona1 Preparation for Undertaking the Research . .. -43 3 -3-2 Research Approach .................................. -43 3-3 .2.1 Logical Framework Analysis ..................... -44 3-3 .2.2 Component Logic of the LFA ..................... 47 3 3 3 -2.2.3 Indicators .................................... -49 3.3.2.4 Limitations and Delimitations of the LFA ............ 53 CHAPTER 4 O RESEARCH CONTEXT ...................O...........-..-54 4-1 The Leuser Ecosystem ...................................... -54 4.1.1 Biophysicd Characteristics ............................. 56 4.1.1.1 Location & Topography ..........................56 4.1.1.2 Geology ..................................... -57 4.1.1.3 Climate ...................................... -58 4.1.1.4 Biodiversity .................................. -58 4.1.2 The People of the Leuser Ecosystem ..................... -59 4-1.21 History of Conservation in the Leuser Ecosystem ...... 60 4.2 The Manggamat Community Conservation Forest ................ -61 4.2.1 Introduction to Manggamat ............................ -61 4.2.2 Socio-economic Characteristics ......................... -63 4.2.2.1 Demographics ................................ -64 4.2.2.2 Resource User Profile .......................... -67 4.2.2.3 Education .................................... -68 4.2.2.4 Wealth ...................................... -70 4-33 Summary Profile: The 'Typical' Manggamat Household ......76 4.3 Summary .................................................77 CHAIPTE;R 5 .TEIE CBFM MODEL IN MANGGAMAT ................... -79 5.1 Adat: The "Official Plan" of the Manggamat Cornmunity Conservation Forest .................................................... 80 5.1.1 Basic Principles of Adat ................................ 81 5.1.1.1 Implementation and Jurisdiction ................... 82 5.1.2 Similarities to the Onîario Planning Mode1 ................. 83 5.1.2.1 Intent of the Official Plan ........................ 83 5.1.2.2 Need for the Plan .............................. -83 5.1.2.3 Process ...................................... -84 5.1.2.4 Amenciments to the Plan ........................ -84 5.2 Forest Zones: Zoning in the Manggamat