Persepsi mengenai Konservasi Hutan pada Siswa Sekolah Menengah Pertama di Kabupaten Pacitan Provinsi Jawa Timur.

Abstract

Junior high school students have high potential to participate in forest conservation efforts at Pacitan Regency. However, their participation should be based on positive perception on forest conservation. Students’ perception of forest conservation could be developed through education about forest conservation at the school, which widely known as environmental education. However, there was not any junior high school in Pacitan Regency that implements environmental education yet. Therefore, research about perception of forest conservation on junior high school’s student was necessary to provide consideration for the schools and Department of Education of Pacitan Regency in the development and implementation of environmental education. This research was conducted at five sample schools at Pacitan Regency on July to September 2012. The collected data included students’ characteristic, students’ perception of forest conservation (knowledge, attitude, motivation, and hopes), learning process, school location, and policy of government. Data were collected through questionnaire, observation, literature, and interview. Students from sample schools had obtained knowledge score ranging from 1,30 – 1,80, which was categorized as sufficient. Factors that influenced students’ knowledge were their intensity in visiting forest, and the condition around their home. The students’ attitude of forest conservation was categorized as good attitude. However, the students’ still had low self-confidence toward their capability in conducting forest conservation efforts. Students’ attitude was influenced by their intensity in visiting forest. The students also had high motivation to participate in forest conservation efforts, mostly due to external motivation. Source of information and experience in learning about forest conservation were the factors that influenced students’ motivation. The students hoped that forest ecosystem would be preserved in order to ensure the sustainability of natural resources. The result also suggested that forest conservation subjects should be integrated into science lesson in order to improve students’ knowledge about forest conservation. Lesson should be taught not only in theory, but also in practice, to improve students’ capability in relation to forest conservation activities.