Socio-economic background of encroachment in national forests Case study of Blora, Central Java

摘要

National forests in Java are managed by Perum Perhutani (hereafter Perhutani), a state forest corporation. The most productive forest is teak (Tectona grandis) plantation established by tumpangsari reforestation system. It consists of an offset mechanism between farmers who need additional agricultural land and Perhutani who needs reforestation labor. Local people around forests engage in tree planting and maintenance up to 3 years on the allotment under tumpangsari, while doing agricultural intercropping. After the economic crisis in 1997/98, however, massive illegal logging and encroachment took place in the jurisdiction of Perhutani (Figure). Now the forests of Java are under critical situation.