Understanding Landscape Change Using Participatory Mapping and Geographic Information Systems: Case Study in North Sulawesi, Indonesia

AbstractA landscape provides key livelihood resources for people such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, extractive industries, and other productive land uses. It is the space in which dynamic and evolving nature-human interactions occur. Hence, understanding different functions and processes in a landscape becomes vital for poverty alleviation as well as sustainable management of natural resources. In our study to understand the landscape changes of North Sulawesi, the second richest province in Indonesia, we use a landscape approach to understand the connections between human livelihoods and environment. We studied five villages using Participatory Rural Assessments tools, consolidated questionnaires, formal and informal interviews of various stakeholders, GIS-based participatory mapping and in-the-field observations as well as secondary sources. We find natural hazards, climate variability, accessibility, extractive industries, food security and water scarcity are interlinked as big drivers of change in the landscape. Decision makers must consider them together to ensure community prosperity

Hunting at the Abun Regional Marine Protected Areas: A Link Between Wildmeat and Food Security

Native Papuans are relied on hunting for subsistence purposes and significantly contributed to traditional cultures. However, in Papua information on hunting is limited and largely restricted to anthropological setting with most observations were done on the forest sites in lowland and highland landscapes. This study focuses on the contribution of hunting on food security along the coastal forests at the Bird’s Head Peninsula. Do people live near coastal sites mostly rely on marine resources as protein source? We gathered data on hunting by the majority of Karon ethnic group in the Abun district of Tambrauw Regency at the Bird’s Head Peninsula of Papua, Indonesia. We used information from in-depth interviews with hunters and households meal survey at four villages of Abun: Waibem, Wau, Warmandi and Saubeba. Reasons for hunting were varies among respondents but mostly conducted for trade. Six species of mammals and three birds were commonly hunted by using six different hunting techniques.  Wild pig and rusa deer were the major targets in hunting to meet the demand of meat for both trading and household consumption. Meals containing wildmeat was the most consumed meal, greater than meals containing fish, animal products and vegetables, and noodles

MORPHOLOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS ON CHIROMANTIS VITTIGER (ANURA: RHACOPHORIDAE) IN MOUNT HALIMUN - SALAK NATIONAL PARK, INDONESIA

Despite an early description, the rhacophorid frog (Chiromantis vittiger (Boulenger 1897)) is relatively poorly known species. It has been found in several areas in the mountainous part of western Java, one of which is in the Chevron Geothermal Indonesia (CGI) concession area within Mount Halimun-Salak National Park. An ecological study of this species and its habitat was conducted in CGI from April to September 2008. The biological and ecological aspects of this tree frog such as morphology, habitat characteristics, breeding behaviour, and larval development are presented in this paper. This study found that the fertilised eggs hatch as free-swimming tadpoles. In addition, the availability of artificial habitat in the form of concrete ponds helps sustain the population throughout the year. We also report parental care in this species

Towards coexistence: can people's attitudes explain their willingness to live with Sumatran elephants in Indonesia?

Understanding coexistence between humans and threatened wildlife is a central focus in conservation. Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra Island, Indonesia, harbors one of the largest populations of the critically endangered Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus). The people who live alongside this population are affected by intensive crop foraging. Our study investigated the factors which influenced attitudes toward elephants. We then evaluated the implications of reported attitudes for future willingness to live with elephants. We surveyed 660 respondents in 22 villages around the park. People generally reported positive attitudes toward elephants (smartness 95%, usefulness 62%, importance 57%, and pleasantness 53%), apart from where human safety was concerned (safety 11%). Each dimension of attitude was explained by different factors including age, gender, knowledge of elephants, and distance to crop foraging locations. Most respondents (62%) expressed no willingness to coexist with elephants. Such willingness was lower when elephants were perceived to be more dangerous, but higher if beliefs in the benefits of elephants were greater. Efforts to improve crop foraging mitigation practice and to increase people's awareness of elephant benefits may promote support for their conservation. Through this study, we advocate the integration of social science to promote human–wildlife coexistence strategies, an approach that is currently limited in Indonesia.Published versionThis study was funded by US Fish and Wildlife Service

Mineral industries, growth corridors and agricultural development in Africa

An extractive industries boom in Africa is driving unprecedented expansion of infrastructure into sparsely populated regions. Much of the investment is in high-volume minerals such as iron and coal that will require heavy infrastructure and large settled workforces. New roads and railways are being built to support these industries. Mineral infrastructure is reinforcing the dynamic of designated "growth corridors", which are increasingly determining settlement patterns and rural land use in Africa. These corridors are penetrating into areas where agriculture has been constrained by lack of access to markets. They could unleash a major expansion of arable crops in the Guinea and Miombo savannahs, tropical tree crops in Congo Basin rainforests and irrigated agriculture on the floodplains of several African river systems. Rapidly growing African cities are largely dependent on imported food but growth corridors linking them to hinterland areas could favour shifts to African-sourced foods. Governance weaknesses may allow outside investors to make land grabs along growth corridors and further marginalise poor smallholders. New pressures on environmentally sensitive areas may emerge. Policy changes are needed to avoid negative impacts of this major new development trend and to exploit the potential for poverty alleviation and food-security benefits