The potential of kabuyutan sacred natural site towards a sustainable landscape management in Indonesia

Abstract

Sacred natural sites have been recognized by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a landscape heritage that contains biological and cultural diversity due to conserved over generations and sacred by indigenous people. This study identified the characteristics and ecological significance of kabuyutan, a sacred natural site perceived by Sundanese people in West Java Province, Indonesia. The observation participant method was used to gain a close and intimate relationship between Sundanese people and their natural and cultural environment, particularly kabuyutan. We identified 33 kabuyutan and found a typical structure compared to the surrounding landscape which is dominantly covered by dense vegetation and marked by sacred trees, springs, ancestor's graves, or stones. Kabuyutan were perceived to have a vital role in conserving land and water, which is proven by their specific land variables, and proposed a watershed-based management concept. However, we found that changes in the buffer zone of kabuyutan into the agricultural or residential area have potentially affected their existence due to the land ownership status. We suggested that empowering custodians and transferring information about the critical role of sacred natural sites are necessary for landscape management to prevent the negative impact of landscape dynamic.