Social forestry for a good life? The uneven well‐being benefits of Indonesia's social forestry scheme
Abstract The Indonesian government has scaled up its devolution of forest management to local communities in the form of social forestry, with the aim of improving forest management while delivering nature‐based well‐being (including livelihood) benefits for local communities. We investigate the var...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | People and Nature |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.70042 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850234973542416384 |
|---|---|
| author | Tessa D. Toumbourou Mia B. Dunphy Lilis Mulyani Ilmiawan Auwalin Rumayya Annisa Sabrina Hartoto Gutomo Bayu Aji Marcellinus Mandira Budi Utomo Nurul Auliya Amin Yasmita Yaman Ferdy Azmal Fakhrani Pitaloka Ainun Yasmin Asia A. Afriyani Masri Dian Arisanti Darkono Tjawikrama Rachel S. Friedman Andrea Rawluk |
| author_facet | Tessa D. Toumbourou Mia B. Dunphy Lilis Mulyani Ilmiawan Auwalin Rumayya Annisa Sabrina Hartoto Gutomo Bayu Aji Marcellinus Mandira Budi Utomo Nurul Auliya Amin Yasmita Yaman Ferdy Azmal Fakhrani Pitaloka Ainun Yasmin Asia A. Afriyani Masri Dian Arisanti Darkono Tjawikrama Rachel S. Friedman Andrea Rawluk |
| author_sort | Tessa D. Toumbourou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The Indonesian government has scaled up its devolution of forest management to local communities in the form of social forestry, with the aim of improving forest management while delivering nature‐based well‐being (including livelihood) benefits for local communities. We investigate the varied well‐being impacts of social forestry management rights—an expression of human–nature relationships—and how these are distributed among different social groups in Indonesia. In a study conducted in four different village locations with social forestry management right permits in Indonesia, we employed a mixed methods approach comprising interviews (semi‐structured and life story) (n = 80), focus group discussions (in‐person and online) (n = 44) and a survey of 100 households in each site (n = 400). We identified local conceptualizations of, and priorities for, well‐being. Our findings indicate that access to land and livelihood capitals that support productive and diverse livelihoods is central to well‐being. Good social relations are crucial for securing and utilising land to sustain a livelihood, and in turn, to achieve a good life. Material and social elements underpin other interconnected well‐being dimensions, including being able to perform religious pilgrimages, contribute to cultural and spiritual practices and provide security for one's children's future. Further, we found that social forestry secured land access, improved access to agricultural inputs and information, and diversified livelihoods of those who knew they were involved in social forestry—aligning particularly with material well‐being priorities valued locally. However, disparities in access to information meant that most villagers (67%) in areas granted social forestry permits knew little about the scheme. Active social forestry participants were from more well‐off households, while many less privileged people faced exclusions to participation and benefits. Unclear institutional processes, exclusionary enrolment practices and limited access to information hindered social forestry's potential to contribute to well‐being more broadly, risking increasing social inequalities locally. Policy implications: Our findings suggest the need for measures to ensure well‐being benefits from social forestry are distributed equitably. This is essential to avoid exacerbating social inequalities and to foster greater support for forest protection. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-af85e93519144c2e928a83ee435ed007 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2575-8314 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | People and Nature |
| spelling | doaj-art-af85e93519144c2e928a83ee435ed0072025-08-20T02:02:26ZengWileyPeople and Nature2575-83142025-06-01761443146310.1002/pan3.70042Social forestry for a good life? The uneven well‐being benefits of Indonesia's social forestry schemeTessa D. Toumbourou0Mia B. Dunphy1Lilis Mulyani2Ilmiawan Auwalin3Rumayya4Annisa Sabrina Hartoto5Gutomo Bayu Aji6Marcellinus Mandira Budi Utomo7Nurul Auliya Amin8Yasmita Yaman9Ferdy Azmal Fakhrani10Pitaloka Ainun Yasmin11Asia A. Afriyani12Masri13Dian Arisanti14Darkono Tjawikrama15Rachel S. Friedman16Andrea Rawluk17School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, Faculty of Science University of Melbourne Melbourne Victoria AustraliaSchool of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences University of Melbourne Melbourne Victoria AustraliaResearch Centre for Society and Culture, National Research and Innovation Agency Jakarta IndonesiaDepartment of Economics Universitas Airlangga Surabaya IndonesiaDepartment of Economics Universitas Airlangga Surabaya IndonesiaDepartment of Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies University of Zurich Zurich SwitzerlandResearch Centre for Population National Research and Innovation Agency Jakarta IndonesiaResearch Centre for Society and Culture, National Research and Innovation Agency Jakarta IndonesiaDepartment of Sociology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences Universitas Hasanuddin Makassar IndonesiaForest and Society Research Group, Faculty of Forestry Universitas Hasanuddin Makassar IndonesiaCentre for Rural and Regional Development Studies Universitas Gadjah Mada Yogyakarta IndonesiaDepartment of Sociology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences Universitas Gadjah Mada Yogyakarta IndonesiaSchool of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science and Technology Universitas Serasan South Sumatra IndonesiaPUPUK Indonesia Surabaya IndonesiaPUPUK Indonesia Surabaya IndonesiaPT EcoNusantara Consulting Bogor IndonesiaSchool of Geography University of Victoria Victoria British Columbia CanadaSchool of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, Faculty of Science University of Melbourne Melbourne Victoria AustraliaAbstract The Indonesian government has scaled up its devolution of forest management to local communities in the form of social forestry, with the aim of improving forest management while delivering nature‐based well‐being (including livelihood) benefits for local communities. We investigate the varied well‐being impacts of social forestry management rights—an expression of human–nature relationships—and how these are distributed among different social groups in Indonesia. In a study conducted in four different village locations with social forestry management right permits in Indonesia, we employed a mixed methods approach comprising interviews (semi‐structured and life story) (n = 80), focus group discussions (in‐person and online) (n = 44) and a survey of 100 households in each site (n = 400). We identified local conceptualizations of, and priorities for, well‐being. Our findings indicate that access to land and livelihood capitals that support productive and diverse livelihoods is central to well‐being. Good social relations are crucial for securing and utilising land to sustain a livelihood, and in turn, to achieve a good life. Material and social elements underpin other interconnected well‐being dimensions, including being able to perform religious pilgrimages, contribute to cultural and spiritual practices and provide security for one's children's future. Further, we found that social forestry secured land access, improved access to agricultural inputs and information, and diversified livelihoods of those who knew they were involved in social forestry—aligning particularly with material well‐being priorities valued locally. However, disparities in access to information meant that most villagers (67%) in areas granted social forestry permits knew little about the scheme. Active social forestry participants were from more well‐off households, while many less privileged people faced exclusions to participation and benefits. Unclear institutional processes, exclusionary enrolment practices and limited access to information hindered social forestry's potential to contribute to well‐being more broadly, risking increasing social inequalities locally. Policy implications: Our findings suggest the need for measures to ensure well‐being benefits from social forestry are distributed equitably. This is essential to avoid exacerbating social inequalities and to foster greater support for forest protection. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.70042a good lifecommunity forestrycommunity‐based forest managementhutan desahutan kemasyarakatanIndonesia |
| spellingShingle | Tessa D. Toumbourou Mia B. Dunphy Lilis Mulyani Ilmiawan Auwalin Rumayya Annisa Sabrina Hartoto Gutomo Bayu Aji Marcellinus Mandira Budi Utomo Nurul Auliya Amin Yasmita Yaman Ferdy Azmal Fakhrani Pitaloka Ainun Yasmin Asia A. Afriyani Masri Dian Arisanti Darkono Tjawikrama Rachel S. Friedman Andrea Rawluk Social forestry for a good life? The uneven well‐being benefits of Indonesia's social forestry scheme People and Nature a good life community forestry community‐based forest management hutan desa hutan kemasyarakatan Indonesia |
| title | Social forestry for a good life? The uneven well‐being benefits of Indonesia's social forestry scheme |
| title_full | Social forestry for a good life? The uneven well‐being benefits of Indonesia's social forestry scheme |
| title_fullStr | Social forestry for a good life? The uneven well‐being benefits of Indonesia's social forestry scheme |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social forestry for a good life? The uneven well‐being benefits of Indonesia's social forestry scheme |
| title_short | Social forestry for a good life? The uneven well‐being benefits of Indonesia's social forestry scheme |
| title_sort | social forestry for a good life the uneven well being benefits of indonesia s social forestry scheme |
| topic | a good life community forestry community‐based forest management hutan desa hutan kemasyarakatan Indonesia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.70042 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tessadtoumbourou socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT miabdunphy socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT lilismulyani socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT ilmiawanauwalin socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT rumayya socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT annisasabrinahartoto socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT gutomobayuaji socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT marcellinusmandirabudiutomo socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT nurulauliyaamin socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT yasmitayaman socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT ferdyazmalfakhrani socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT pitalokaainunyasmin socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT asiaaafriyani socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT masri socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT dianarisanti socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT darkonotjawikrama socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT rachelsfriedman socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme AT andrearawluk socialforestryforagoodlifetheunevenwellbeingbenefitsofindonesiassocialforestryscheme |