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Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD) - Call for papers!

Land Use Changes and Biodiversity Conservation in Lore Lindu National Park, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

(Indonesia), Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Science (University of the Philippines Los Baños)

Dissertation Abstract:

 

The study was conducted at Lore Lindu National Park, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, from February 2001 to April 2002 for field study, and July to August 2003 for geographic information system (GIS) analysis. Factors affecting land use changes at the individual family and village factor levels of the 15 buffer zone villages associated with four major vegetation types; namely lowland, monsoon, lower montane, and antropogenic, were examined. This study aimed to determine the dominant driving factors for land use change from natural forest to nonforest and its implications on biodiversity.

Village surveys were conducted to gather individual family data (i.e., family size, educational attainment, agricultural land possession in the village, agricultural income, ranger activity, and agricultural land inside the National Park areas) using semistructured interview. General village information, including population, migration, distance to the city, and ground check for potential agricultural land in the village were gathered through key informant interviews and direct field observation. Forest monitoring with transect of 50 m apart and length up to 1,300 m was established for each village. The number of trees with >50 cm dbh, trees with 29-50 cm dbh, rattan clumps with stem >8 m, rattans stumps, and vegetation types were used as proxy for biodiversity status.

Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to determine the dominant factors of land use changes at the individual family and village levels. Individual or a combination of the nine driving variables; namely, population, family size, educational attainment, number of migrant families, ranger activity, agricultural land possession, agricultural income, potential agricultural land in the village, and road distance to the city were tested. Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the relationships between land use change and biodiversity status. The net present value (NPV) of the natural forest and nonforest land uses were computed in the benefit and cost analysis.

The dominant factors for land use change at the village level were the number of migrants and educational attainment, and agricultural land possession at the individual family level. Hence, changes in forest structure resulted to a negative effect on biodiversity status. The NPV of land use change from natural forest to nonforest was negative. This implied that the area should be better retained as a natural forest.

Collaborative management with appropriate zonation implementation is one feasible solution to long-term biodiversity conservation in Lore Lindu National Park.