Analysis of Land Cover Changes and Land Use Patterns in the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park Using Geographic Information System (GIS) (Case Study: Traditional Village of Lebak Picung)

Abstract

Gunung Halimun Salak National Park (GHSNP) is one of the conservation areas that have been facing forest cover changes rapidly. It’s related to people activities in and around the area. One of the communities which have been living at surround the GHSNP is indigenous peopleof Kampung Lebak Picung, Desa Hegarmanah, Kecamatan Cibeber, Kabupaten Lebak, Banten. They have been practicing shifting cultivation system. It is feared the system willm lead to forest conversion in GHSNP area. Data and information of the conditions in Kampung Lebak Picung area can be analyzed through technology Geographic Information System (GIS). The aim of this research is to study land cover changes in Kampung Lebak Picung, to investigate factors that influence land cover change, and review procedures of land management by the community at Kampung Lebak Picung Social data, and ground control point were taken in Kampung Lebak Picung for one month in June 2009. Collected data included spatial data in the form of maps, Landsat image TM and ETM + in 1989, 1997, 2007 and attribute data include sociocultural conditions, management and land use, and people perception. Spatial data were prossed by using Geographic Information System technology and Remote Sensing. The result of image processing were analyzed qualitatively using the attribute data to determine its impact on land cover changes. Land cover types in Kampung Lebak Picung consist of forest, mixed gardens, shrubs, fields, rice fields, water bodies, open land, built up land, and no data. In the period 1989-2007, rice fields land cover type were decrease. Meanwhile fields and water body land cover type were increase. In general, several types of land cover area fluctuated. Fluctuations occur on forest land cover, mixed gardens, shrubs, and open land types. In 1997, forest area were increase 20,47 ha but mixed garden and shrubs decrease of 41.93 ha and 3.27 ha. In 2007, forest land cover types decreased of 19.28 hectares but shrubs were increase 2,50 ha. Land cover changes were influenced by the increasing population and implementation of shifting cultivation system to arable land use (mixed garden and fields). Most of income source is farmers (91.67%) therefore usage of arable land (paddy fields, fields, and mix gardens) was very high. It’s feared, it will lead to forest conversion to arable land. In fact for this period of reseaerch arable land is sufficient to meet the needs of the community. Generally, people had high perception for the existence of forest, but people's knowledge of the forests and national parks are still quite low. Factor that influence land cover change are social condition, especially in land management systems. To anticipate expansion of cultivation land into forest area, the National park should alocate those activities in spesific area/zone.For that purpose the National Park should supervise the activities.