Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

INSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATION OF FOREST AND LAND CONSERVATION IN UPPER BENGAWAN SOLO WATERSHED INDONESIA

Trisni Utami, Prabang Setyono, Ismi D.A. Nurhaeni and Suntoro

Abstract

Sustainable forest and land conservation in upper Bengawan Solo’s Watershed carried out by social institutions which include farmers and other institutions. The aim of this research is to analyzed the institutional role in the forest and land conservation in upper Bengawan Solo Watershed Surakarta Indonesia. This qualitative inquiry research was conducted in Jatisrono social foresty Wonogiri. The unit of analysis are members and administrators of Soil and Water Conservation Community Jatisrono social foresty Wonogiri. The informants include farmers, the administrator of the community, policy makers related to forest and land conservation, agricultural extension officers and administrators of environmental NGOs, they were choosen by purposive sampling. The data collection done through observation, in-depth-interview, documentation and focus group discussion, thus the data validity done by source triangulation. The result show Jatisono’s Soil and Water Conservation Community formed in order to preserve the soil, water and forest in the upper Bengawan Solo river watershed. They do planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation to the conservation program, yet their work are not optimal. The problems such as farmers and other conservation institutions has not extensively engaged in the conservation program. These problem fueled by common sense that they are not getting direct benefit whether in the forms of social, economical or environmental from conservation action. As for farmers weak capacity building, lack of social capital and illiterate about basic knowledge of conservation. Therefore government, NGOs, private party and local conservation community have to increase the capacity building of local community, their bargaining position with other institutions, implementing the share-holder and share-power so that the local conservation community more independent.