Relational values of forests: Value‐conflicts between local communities and external programmes in Sulawesi
Abstract Studies found that rapid decline of biodiversity and ecosystems globally have adversely affected an estimated 1.6 billion rural people whose livelihoods both directly and indirectly depend on forests. To halt the loss of forests and other natural ecosystems that simultaneously support rural...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-12-01
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| Series: | People and Nature |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10389 |
| _version_ | 1797394047782879232 |
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| author | Elizabeth L. Yuliani Moira Moeliono Ardi Labarani Micah R. Fisher Pisca A. Tias Terry Sunderland |
| author_facet | Elizabeth L. Yuliani Moira Moeliono Ardi Labarani Micah R. Fisher Pisca A. Tias Terry Sunderland |
| author_sort | Elizabeth L. Yuliani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Studies found that rapid decline of biodiversity and ecosystems globally have adversely affected an estimated 1.6 billion rural people whose livelihoods both directly and indirectly depend on forests. To halt the loss of forests and other natural ecosystems that simultaneously support rural livelihoods, various external programmes have been developed and applied, including market‐based and rights‐based approaches. However, rapid biodiversity and ecosystem decline continues, and better incentives or more secure rights have not always led to local community participation and improved livelihoods. This suggests the need to better explain local communities' motivations in nature stewardship. We conducted a study of local communities in two villages in Sulawesi who voluntarily maintain forests but showed resistance to participation in formal Social Forestry programmes. The study aimed to identify motivations and underlying reasons of community preferences, guided by two research questions: (i) how did local people value forest landscapes? and (ii) how did those values interact with externally driven Social Forestry programmes? We applied the Relational Values concept to understand a community's relations with the forest (or its elements) and land and identified points of value divergence. Data collection involved in‐depth semi‐structured interviews, focus group discussions framed by the principles of Appreciative Inquiry, participant observation and land use/land cover change analysis. Our findings show that people value their forests in relation to their identity, ancestral heritage, sense of place and spiritual values. We also identified the points of value divergence and their underlying reasons of resistance towards externally driven forestry programmes. This study thus contributes to the broader conceptualisation of values in conservation and community participation by providing empirical evidence on the importance of the Relational Values framework in understanding the motivation and behaviour of nature stewardship and in the evaluation of value conflicts. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:12:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-069f466087924c9d95224cf3e45e529c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2575-8314 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:12:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | People and Nature |
| spelling | doaj.art-069f466087924c9d95224cf3e45e529c2023-12-12T09:43:35ZengWileyPeople and Nature2575-83142023-12-01561822183810.1002/pan3.10389Relational values of forests: Value‐conflicts between local communities and external programmes in SulawesiElizabeth L. Yuliani0Moira Moeliono1Ardi Labarani2Micah R. Fisher3Pisca A. Tias4Terry Sunderland5Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Bogor IndonesiaCenter for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Bogor IndonesiaOase NGO Bantaeng South Sulawesi IndonesiaEast‐West Center Honolulu Hawaiʻi USAColumbia University New York City New York USACenter for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Bogor IndonesiaAbstract Studies found that rapid decline of biodiversity and ecosystems globally have adversely affected an estimated 1.6 billion rural people whose livelihoods both directly and indirectly depend on forests. To halt the loss of forests and other natural ecosystems that simultaneously support rural livelihoods, various external programmes have been developed and applied, including market‐based and rights‐based approaches. However, rapid biodiversity and ecosystem decline continues, and better incentives or more secure rights have not always led to local community participation and improved livelihoods. This suggests the need to better explain local communities' motivations in nature stewardship. We conducted a study of local communities in two villages in Sulawesi who voluntarily maintain forests but showed resistance to participation in formal Social Forestry programmes. The study aimed to identify motivations and underlying reasons of community preferences, guided by two research questions: (i) how did local people value forest landscapes? and (ii) how did those values interact with externally driven Social Forestry programmes? We applied the Relational Values concept to understand a community's relations with the forest (or its elements) and land and identified points of value divergence. Data collection involved in‐depth semi‐structured interviews, focus group discussions framed by the principles of Appreciative Inquiry, participant observation and land use/land cover change analysis. Our findings show that people value their forests in relation to their identity, ancestral heritage, sense of place and spiritual values. We also identified the points of value divergence and their underlying reasons of resistance towards externally driven forestry programmes. This study thus contributes to the broader conceptualisation of values in conservation and community participation by providing empirical evidence on the importance of the Relational Values framework in understanding the motivation and behaviour of nature stewardship and in the evaluation of value conflicts. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10389local peopleparticipationreforestationrelational valuessacred forestssocial forestry |
| spellingShingle | Elizabeth L. Yuliani Moira Moeliono Ardi Labarani Micah R. Fisher Pisca A. Tias Terry Sunderland Relational values of forests: Value‐conflicts between local communities and external programmes in Sulawesi People and Nature local people participation reforestation relational values sacred forests social forestry |
| title | Relational values of forests: Value‐conflicts between local communities and external programmes in Sulawesi |
| title_full | Relational values of forests: Value‐conflicts between local communities and external programmes in Sulawesi |
| title_fullStr | Relational values of forests: Value‐conflicts between local communities and external programmes in Sulawesi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relational values of forests: Value‐conflicts between local communities and external programmes in Sulawesi |
| title_short | Relational values of forests: Value‐conflicts between local communities and external programmes in Sulawesi |
| title_sort | relational values of forests value conflicts between local communities and external programmes in sulawesi |
| topic | local people participation reforestation relational values sacred forests social forestry |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10389 |
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