Awang, S. Afri, Widayati, W.T., Himmah, B., Astuti, A., and W Wardhana. 2006. "Collective Action on State Forest Company in Java, Indonesia." Presented at "Survival of the Commons: Mounting Challenges and New Realities," the Eleventh Conference of the International Association for the Study of Common Property, Bali, Indonesia, June 19-23, 2006.

Abstract

"Total state forest company (SFM) area in Java is about 2.9 million hectares, and forest mostly covered by teak . There are at least 6200 villages surrounding the forest with total inhabitants around 35 millions. More than 80% of villagers depend on the forest resources for their family income. CIFOR created a collaborative project in the Southeast Asia Country so called the LPF (Levelling Playing Field). One is implemented in Java state forest company (Perhutani). The objectives of LPF are to get better forest management for the next generation and to improve community power in forest management and their welfare.

"The LPF project tries to support and empower local community organization which was established by Perhutani (State Forest Company in Java). The program is called PHBM (community collaboration forest management). Under this scenario, local organizations are allowed to use forest state land for planting trees and crops plantation. Benefit- sharing from timber is about 25% for people and 75% for Perhutani. The problems are related to the weakness of forest micro planning by local people and how local people allocate the benefit-sharing they get from Perhutani. Focus group discussion, workshop, vision, future scenario, participatory planning were used as methods to empower all stakeholders involved.

"The results are quite interesting such as: (1) Perhutani perceived that doing collective action among stakeholders in the PHBM is needed; (2) participatory forest management planning has been produced during the empowerment process and it is supported by all stakeholders; and (3) budget from benefits sharing are allocated into common social needs, fee for farmers, fee for organization operation, forest security control, village government, salary LMDH board, budget for CF-PHBM, and for economic productive activities."