Knowledge and Knowledge Changes on the Community Forest Farmers in Achieving Sustainable Forest Management

Abstract

Knowledge of farmers in managing community forests becomes an important in the success of sustainable community forest management. Knowledge of the underlying system management of natural resources by the communities has been studied for many years. This study focused on farmers knowledge in forest management, knowledge changes that occur, as well as the source of knowledge acquisition. This study aims to explain the sources in obtaining the knowledges and the farmers knowledge changes. This research was carried out for 2 months from April to May 2013. This study took place in Kebumen, Central Java, which has been certified by Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) scheme. Respondents totaled 108 people whose came from KTH Tani Makmur, KTH Rindang Jaya, KTH Wana Mukti, KTH Margo Makmur, KTH Karya Sari, and KTH Rimba Lestari. Primary data were collected through interview and observation and recording of documents. This study showed that the local knowledge of farmers in forest management changes. Changes occured in the seed preparation, planting, and maintenance activities. Farmers knowledge derived from inheritance; farming experience; from other farmers, coaching and counseling. The most dominant knowledge source on the farmers knowledge changes is coaching from TFT (61.11%).