Implementing forest tenure Reforms: Perspectives from indonesia⇔s forestry agencies

Abstract

Forest Tenure Reform implementation involves diverse actors with multiple roles and interests, more importantly government officials. Few studies have attempted to systematically document the conditions faced by government agency implementers in their efforts to implement forest tenure reforms. This study attempts to identify factors that enhance or hamper reform implementation from the perspective of individual implementers both at national and sub-national levels in Indonesia. The study was conducted through analysing data resulted from interviewing bureaucrats who were purposively selected at Central and Local Governments. Most interviewees indicated that forest tenure reforms have three interrelated objectives, i.e.: to conserve forests and restore degraded forests, to improve community livelihoods and ensure benefits are equitably distributed; and to secure the rights of access to locals, forest-adjacent or forest-dwelling communities. Reform implementation has been effective or somewhat effective in protecting community rights to access, use, manage and benefit from forests. Close to half of the respondents indicated that their activities gave special consideration to low income groups but few paid special attention to women and women’s rights. Main constraints in implementation are inadequate budgets and insufficient manpower to execute tenure-related activities. Divergent priorities between national and sub-national/local levels and changes in government that redistribute personnel are additional factors that hinder reform implementation. Overall, respondents agree that reforms are only partially implemented due to technical and institutional constraints, which in turn influence the extent to which collaboration/ coordination among actors can be achieved and the extent to which community tenure needs such as conflict management and resolution can be addressed.