Implementation of Action Research to Challenge Poverty of Local Communities in Forest Protection Area

Gun Mardiatmoko, Agustinus Kastanya and Jan Willem Hatulesila

Department of Forestry, Pattimura University, Ambon 97233, Maluku, Indonesia

Forest land including forest protection areas in Indonesia have been degraded due to poverty of local communities who live in the surrounding areas. They tend to destroy the forest and are less attentive to forest conservation causing conflict between
local community and government. Forest protection areas are very fragile and at risk from natural disaster, mainly in small islands.
Natural resources management in small islands needs to be done properly. Therefore, a research has been done for local communities
in the Gunung Sirimau forest protection area, Ambon, with objectives to increase income in local communities and knowledge of forest conservation.

This study used the action research method. The results of this study showed that income of local communities in three demplots increased by IDR 3,966,000 (in cycle 1), IDR 20,107,000 (in cycle 2) and IDR 25,897,000 (in cycle 3). Unfortunately, their knowledge regarding forest conservation and tree maintenance, both in theory and practice is still low. A lot of effort is needed to increase their knowledge in the next action research. The effort to increase income of local communities and its knowledge of forest conservation should be done step by step. If their knowledge is sufficient, promotion of the environmental service of forest
protection areas through carbon trade implementation can be carried out.

Key words: Action research, carbon trade, agroforestry, forest protection.

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