Tree species preference and land rehabilitation perspective by local community: Case study in Bondowoso, East Java, Indonesia

Forest and land rehabilitation efforts require socio-economic assessment to enhance the likelihood of success when such efforts are implemented on the ground. This study aimed to find out local community’s preference on tree species used for rehabilitation programs and their perspective that influence such selections in regard to social, economic and ecological objectives of land management. The study was conducted Gubrih sub-watershed, Sampean watershed in Bondowoso District, East Java, Indonesia which provided an ideal case study of land rehabilitation. Questionnaires were distributed to
respondents chosen randomly to select tree species that have ecological and/or economic values. Result of the study showed that among 62 species of trees listed in the questionnaire, there were 45 species chosen by the respondents. There were 13 species of trees selected by more than 20% of total respondents (high preferred), suggesting the potential list of species for rehabilitation programs in the region. Local community in Gubrih Sub-watershed had understood the importance of trees as a source of income as well as a measure to conserve environmental functions. This was strengthened with land-use systems they selected which preferred tree-based land-use systems, such as in the form of plantation of timber species and agroforestry over dry land agriculture. The findings of this study suggested that there is opportunity in rehabilitating degraded lands in Sampean watershed using tree species preferred by local communities under the land use system of timber plantation or agroforestry. Our study demonstrates that similar strategy of incorporating ecological and socio-economic perspectives could be applied to another regional context to enhance the chance of success
of rehabilitation programs.