PERAMBAHAN HUTAN DI TAMAN NASIONAL RAWA AOPA WATUMOHAI : SEBUAH PENDEKATAN SOSIOLOGIS

Abstract

The National Park of Rawa Aopa Watumohai (NPRAW) located in South East Sulawesi province has five main sub-ecosystems that are: (i) low land rain forest, (ii) low mountain forest, (iii) savana, (iv) peat forest,and (v) mangrove. The biggest threat of sustainable ecosystems is forest encroachment. Therefore, the research conducated was focused on the process of the forest encroachment. The aims of this research are: (1) to identify general condition and problems at the NPRAW, (2) to analyze the character and behavior of forest encroachers, and (3) to formulate a solution strategy for handling the forest encroachment. The results of the research showed that the total area of the PNRAW is 105,194 ha spread out over 4 districts (South Konawe, Konawe, Kolaka, and Bombana). The main problem faced by the PNRAW is forest encroachment achieving a tenth of its total area. The forest encroachment is triggered by a land transaction between local and migrants communities. The land transaction is an illegal activity from the poin of view of the existing regulation because it covers crime, trapping, and mark up on it. The strategies for handling the forest encroachment are: (i) community empowering, (ii) proper handling of forest encroachment cases, and (iii) efective management of the NPRAW.