Development of national park zoning system: a synthesis of the importance of biodiversity conservation and the livelihood of costumary people

Abstract

The objectives of this research is to develop such policies for park zonation that amalgamating the national-global interests for conservation on the one side and the customary community interests on the other side. More specifically, this research is directed for developing new criteria for park zonation that integrating conservation policies and regulations with indigenous knowledge. Two national parks i.e. the Wasur National Park and the Kayan Mentarang National Park that have overlapping areas with customary territories were studied. The field research was carried out in relations with participatory planning activities for park zonation that conducted from October 2008 to July 2011. Literatures review, in-depth interviews, field observations as well as participant observations during park zonation process are fields methods applied for data collections. Three important findings are found. First, the sustainable use of natural resource would be in place where customary community still keeps their traditional way of life particularly that in relations to conservation. Second, so far the park zonation policy does not take into account the values, norms and livelihoods of the customary community. Third, the regulations and criteria for park zonation hinder the traditional access and control of customary community over national park. The last two mentioned factors could potentially create conflicts between customary community and parks. Through spatial analysis and participatory planning carried out in the two national parks studied, zones that integrating or amalgamating indigenous knowledge and conservation policy and regulations can be produced. Five genuine zones are produce from this process i.e. cultural core zone, customary wilderness zone, the multi use zone, historical, cultural and religious zone and the traditional use zone. The first four mentioned zones are produced through amalgamation processes. However, the last zone is produced through similar requirements address in the Decree of the Minister of Forestry No P.56/Menhut-II/2006. Hence, it can be said that park zonation process that could integrating or amalgamating indigenous knowledge and biodiversity conservation policy and regulations are conservation policies that built upon the customary community perspective.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengembangkan kebijakan zonasi taman nasional yang merupakan amalgamasi kepentingan konservasi nasional-global dan kepentingan kehidupan masyarakat adat, dan khususnya membangun kriteria baru zonasi taman nasional hasil amalgamasi kebijakan dan peraturan perundangan konservasi dengan kearifan lokal masyarakat adat. Untuk menjawab tujuan tersebut, dilakukan penelitian di dua taman nasional yang kawasannya bertumpang tindih dengan wilayah adat, yaitu Taman Nasional Wasur dan Taman Nasional Kayan Mentarang. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan mulai bulan Oktober 2008 sampai bulan Juli 2011 disesuaikan dengan tata waktu proses perencanaan zonasi partisipatif pada kedua taman nasional tersebut. Metode penelitian yang digunakan meliputi studi literatur, wawancara dengan para informan, pengamatan lapang terbatas dan pelibatan peneliti dalam proses partisipatif penyusunan zonasi. Fakta-fakta penting yang diperoleh adalah sebagai berikut: Pertama, masyarakat adat yang masih kental dengan praktek-praktek konservasi tradisionalnya dapat melakukan pelestarian pemanfaatan sumberdaya alam. Kedua, kebijakan zonasi dalam pengelolaan taman nasional belum tepat atau bahkan belum mengakomodir norma-norma dan tata kehidupan masyarakat adat yang direfleksikan dalam ruang kelola wilayah adat. Ketiga, persyaratan dan kriteria juridis-formal zonasi yang diterapkan dalam pengelolaan taman nasional telah menyebabkan akses masyarakat adat menjadi terbatas. Implikasi lebih jauh dari hal ini adalah timbulnya sengketa dan konflik antara masyarakat adat dengan taman nasional.