Total economic valuation of mangrove forest at Mahakam Delta Region Kabupaten Kutai Kartanegara of East Kalimantan

Abstract

Natural resource is something that can be used for a variety of interest and human needs. The use of natural resources should be followed by efforts to maintain and conserve it as it is limited. Mangrove forest is one of natural resource that is tropical coastal vegetation habitat, dominated by various mangrove plants that are able to grow and develop in the area of flux and reflux muddy beach. The researcher choose this topic of research in order to estimate the whole value of natural resource to know its total economic value. Problems occurred at Delta Mahakam region logging activity and the conversion of mangrove forest function by surrounding communities that caused the decreasing of mangrove forest area at Delta Mahakam region. The purpose of this research are: 1). to identify the types and functions of the area of mangrove forest ecosystem; 2) to estimate total economic value of mangrove forest; and 3) to estimate the factors that influence the economy of mangrove forest at Delta Mahakam, Kabupaten Kutai Kartanegara. The result of this research are: (1) due to the destruction and land conversion of mangrove forest became ponds area and settlement has made the population of mangrove at Delta Mahakam region in 2012 decreased which identied by four types of consisting mangroves: : Rhizopora spp, Avicennia spp, Sonneratia spp and Nypa fructicans. The decreasing of mangrove forest area has caused the decreasing of its function so that it has threatened the life sustainability of its surrounding habitats, such as abrasion, lack of income because of the decreasing of fish catch and fish pond production, and the extinction of bekantan as endemic species.; (2) The amount of total economic value of mangrove forest at Mahakam Delta region in 2012 was Rp. 503 071 398 869.2, consist of direct use value Rp. 407 746 300 000, indirect use value is about Rp. 37 133 936 369.2, the option value is about Rp. 35 571 600 000 , the existence value is about Rp. 13 305 625 000, and the bequest value is about Rp. 9 313 937 500. Direct use value had higher contribution than indirect use value; 3). Factor affecting the economic benefits of mangrove forests in order to remain sustainable in recreational value of travel cost, student employment, the number of dependent and age, while the factors that affect the existence of the mangrove forest are job and income, while the factor that affect the sustainability endemic bekantan are of the income, origin in the region and outside the region. Suggestion delivered based on the results of this research are: 1) This result could be used as inputs for all decision makers in keeping and conserving mangrove forest at Mahakam Delta area; 2) The management of mangrove forest at Mahakam Delta should be done wisely and its condition should be noted by the government in order to keep its environmental quality and avoid opening freely ponds; and 3) the supervision and protection policy from govermentof mangrove forest should be implemented and mangrove replanting is needed to be carried out soon; and 4). The need for research to determine the sustainable development of the economic value of mangrove forest in Mahakam Delta area from year to year.

Sumberdaya alam adalah sesuatu yang dapat dimanfaatkan untuk berbagai kepentingan dan kebutuhan manusia. Pemanfaatan sumberdaya alam harus diiikuti dengan pemeliharaan dan pelestarian karena sumberdaya alam bersifat terbatas. Salah satu sumberdaya alam yang ada yaitu hutan mangrove. Hutan manngrove merupakan komunitas vegetasi pantai tropis, yang didominasi oleh berbagai jenis pohon mangrove yang mampu tumbuh dan berkembang pada daerah pasang surut pantai berlumpur. Tujuan peneliti memilih topik valuasi ekonomi adalah mengestiamsi nilai sumberdaya secara keseluruhan untuk mengetahui nilai total dari sumberdaya tersebut.