The decline of local wisdom in managing the Wain River protected forest near Indonesia’s new capital city buffer zone

Abstract

The Wain River protected forest serves not only as a watershed but also holds a critical role in sustaining hydrological functions. The Sultan of Kutai Kertanegara Sultanate initiated ecological engineering efforts in 1934 by designating this area as a protected forest. However, rapid urbanization has led to a decline in local wisdom, posing a threat and intensifying pressure on the Wain River protected forest. The practices of local wisdom applied by the community within the Wain River protected forest area significantly impact the forest’s sustainability. Despite their diminishing influence, they still uphold ancestral guidance in forest conservation. Wain River is also a buffer zone forest for the new capital city of Indonesia at Penajam Paser Utara. Utilizing the Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) method, it was determined that the role of local wisdom in managing the Wain River protected forest falls under a category of weak sustainability, scoring 68.034 percent. Major influencing factors include land-use conversion and economic concerns, with the economic dimension scoring a sustainability rate of 62.83 percent. To foster the traditional agricultural economy, efforts are needed to maximize the utilization of Community Forests (CF) and capitalize on environmental services while ensuring the preservation of the Wain River protected forest.