Analysis of Stakeholder Participation in the Preparation of Regional Spatial Plan for the Forestry Sektor in Bogor Regency

Abstract

Along with the shifting development paradigm from product-centred to people-centred development where community is the main concern of development, spatial planning starts to run in participatory manner, involving community receiving direct impact from spatial planning policy. In 2006, 2005-2025 Bogor District Spatial Planning (RTRW) was conducted using participatory method involving stakeholders through public consultation, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and public seminar. However, non-compliances still found in the RTRW implementation. This research, therefore, aims to (1) analyze the stakeholder participatory process in the 2005-2025 Bogor RTRW; (2) analyze the stakeholders involved and their roles in making the 2005-2025 Bogor RTRW; (3) analyze form and level of the stakeholder participation in making of 2005-2025 Bogor RTRW and the affecting factors to forestry sector; and (4) formulating participatory spatial planning strategy for forestry sector in the district. This research focuses on field study, while the employed method is qualitative and quantitative descriptive analysis. Data has been collected mainly from respondents by using purposive sampling method. Primary data has been collected from questionnaire and interview, complemented with secondary data from Bogor District Development Planning Agency (BAPPEDA), Ministry of Forestry, District Agriculture and Forestry Office, and District Statistics Office. The analysis result indicates that size of land uses complying with the district’s RTRW is 245,261.50 hectares (80.24%), while the non-complying is 60,380.77 hectares (19.76%). The latter is dominated by bushed lands covering 30.838,58 ha (51.07%) out of the total non-complying area. The largest portion of non-compliance in the forest-allocated area being 52,411.68 hectares (86,80%) out of the total non-complying area is equal to 17,15% of the district’s entire area. Land use change from forest to other uses is caused by economic activities, population growth, and socio-cultural activities which lead to environmental damage, and weakened environmental support function. The result shows that there are differences between the 2005-2025 Bogor RTRW and applicable regulation in terms of participation characteristics, employed media, inputting period, and current non-engagement of community in RTRW concept drafting, stipulation and authorisation process. Stakeholders involved in 2005-2025 Bogor RTRW are divided into three groups, i.e. (i) key players (Bogor District Government and Ministry of Forestry); (ii) subject (community); and crowd (NGOs and academicians). The stakeholder participation is dominated with information provision/data contribution and proposing input/recommendation/idea to the prepared RTRW. The stakeholder participation level in subject and crowd groups are, based on Arnstein’s (1969) participation typology, at consultation level, which is the fourth level in Arnstein’s participation ladder and at the degree of tokenism. Whereas, being at information and consultation level and the degree of tokenism, level of participation of the community in the conservation buffering area is still low. This is due to their low education and economic levels. Community living in Mt. Halimun Salak National Park (GHS-NP) buffering area has higher participation level than those in Mt. Gede Pangrango National Park (GGP-NP) buffering area. However, non-compliance in terms of spatial planning and rate of forest cover change in GHSNP is higher than that in GGP-NP. This indicates external factors affecting the rate of forest cover change, such as economic factor. The participation form is affected by NGO roles, while the level is by education and occupation variables. The community already has good perception and knowledge on forest resources and forestry sector RTRW through local wisdom-based sustainable use of forest resources, although not balanced with their high participation yet. In general, the stakeholder roles are still dominated by key players. Stakeholder roles in subject and crowd groups are still low. This indicates that the community participation method in the preparation of Bogor RTRW is merely an obligation to the government as decentralisation and local autonomy require district governments to engage other stakeholders in development planning. The objective to empower the community with the participation itself is yet to be achieved. In order the produced RTRW to be made reference to sustainable development, transparency principles in all planning process must be implemented, and a good spatial planning, whether it is regional or sectoral, needs to be synergised with customary law/local wisdom around the forest to minimise spatial layout conflict in forestry sector.