Community perceptions of the importance of land use types in Bukit Barisan Forest Park area

The Bukit Barisan Forest Park (Tahura Bukit Barisan) is a protected forest area located in North Sumatra Province. It has enormous biodiversity potential in both flora and fauna. The dependence of local communities on forests and forest products from it is very high. This study aimed to find out the community perception of the importance of forest and land use and to know kinds of natural resources existed in Bukit Barisan Forest Park area, especially in Doulu Village, Brastagi Subdistrict and Jaranguda Village, Merdeka Subdistrict, Karo Regency. Multidisciplinary Landscape Assessment (MLA) method, a combination between Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Pebble Distribution Method (PDM) was used in this research. The results showed, the first is that “village” is the most important of land use types (for men and women) who has score 31.5 points (men) and 33.6 points (women). Villages are the first most important land use type because they are the economic, cultural, educational and social centres. Furthermore, forests are the second most important land type because they provide a place for people to obtain their daily needs by hunting, collecting non-timber forest products, and farming. Forests also maintain a water flow and support environmental sustainability.

The dependence of local communities on forests and forest products from The Bukit Barisan Forest Park is very high.This is indicated by the high interaction of the surrounding community in utilising forest products from The Bukit Barisan Forest Park.The products are taken within The Bukit Barisan Forest Park for fulfill their own needs (consumptive) or for commercial use (productive).Generally, the utilization of forest products is still an exploitation [2].This ensued on decreasing of quantity and quality of forest resources progressively [3].In line with management of The Bukit Barisan Forest Park as a protected forest and conservation area would be necessary efforts to improve the opportunity of community to participate in, in order to improve their welfare without compromising the function of the forest through applying the local knowledge (traditional knowledge) existed in communities living around the forest.In addition, should be developed the community's participation based on their perceptions of forest landscape and natural resources [1,2].
To assess public perceptions on the importance of land use would be made with Multidisciplinaire Landscape Assessment (MLA) approach.MLA activities would provide a better understanding of the importance of land, utility of plants and animals, and how community could manage it better [4,5].Community would create a category of various types of landscape and the importance of natural resources required to manage and maintain their own resources, or to engage in dialogue with policy makers related to land use planning in their area [6,7].Based on the condition of the Bukit Barisan Forest Park, it is necessary to conduct a study on: (1) types of land use and natural resource utilisation and (2) community perceptions of the level of importance of types of land use and natural resource utilisation.

Research location
This research was conducted in two villages around The Bukit Barisan Forest Park, that is Doulu Village of Brastagi Subdistrict and Jaranguda Village of Merdeka Subdistrict, Karo Regency (Figure 1).

Sample
Taken 30 samples of households for household survey, 5 until 8 communities for FGD, 1 indigenous leader, and key informants from each village.These samples are selected by purposive sampling.Taking the subject is not based on strata, random, or region but done with a specific purpose.This method done due to several considerations such as the limitations of time, effort, and funds so can not take a large sample [8].

Collection methods
This research is explorative.The data collection is done by combining the Documentation Study of various secondary data sources and Direct Methods, namely primary data collection in the field by interview and field observations.Data collection in the field, particularly in the area chosen as the location of the study, was conducted with direct data collection and checking the secondary data in the field.The Multidisciplinary Landscape Assessment (MLA) method was used for knowing the type of land use developed by CIFOR and CI [4,5], available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328748316_Building_capacity_for_multidisciplinary_landscape_assessment_in_Papua_three_phases_of_training_and_pilot_assessment_in_the_Mamberamo_Basin.

Data analysis
All data, both primary and secondary, were edited and tabulated according to the needs before processing and analysing data.Primary and secondary data that was collected and analyzed descriptively were processed to obtain an overview of research.Analysis of land use was carried out by Pebble Distribution Method (PDM).It was scoring and distributing 100 pebbles on picture cards by informants according to their interests.Through these activities, we would obtain information about the type of land, how important one type than others was, both generally and specifically, and the level of interest of natural resources utilized by community.

Community perceptions about the importance of land use types
Determining the level of interest by PDM were divided into two groups based on gender, voice of male and female.These grouping were supposed to determine the roles of each gender on land use.

Group of men.
The level of interest was determined by land utilization rate.The use of land and land resources are completely based on land use zones and land use plans [9,10].The types of land use in two village were divided into village, forest, field, garden, river, and Lake Debuk-Debuk.Result of FGD through scoring survey method 'PDM' showed that village and forest were the most important type of land use than all use categories (Table 1).For men, village have the highest value of use categories, we can see from the total pebbles given, 295 pebbles, because village served all purposes, a place of birth, grew up, buried (death), and a place to socialize with others.Villagers can gather in the village either in the hall, in jambur (large building for parties), or at the tavern and talk about important things and discuss, or find a place for treatment, e.g Puskesmas (health centre) as a health clinic center based on medical science.Nowadays, few community have used Puskesmas than traditional treatments.Community also obtained equipments/tools for kitchen and home or for work from village.
Then, it was forest, 230 pebbles, since a place for fulfill their basic necessity of daily living by hunting, utilizing non-timber forest products, and making fields.Forests also maintained a water flow, supported a sustainable environment, and regulated the water system.After that, it was field, 190 pebbles, since a future value in socially, economically, and environmentally.Field can produce many necessities of daily life such as rice or vegetables at once as a source of revenue because most crops were vegetables such as broccoli leaves, celery, lettuce, leeks, carrots, beans, tomatoes, and chilies.
Summary of land types by category of use of men : a) Food.The ingredients were more obtained in paddy fields, villages, and rivers.The field was used for growing rice and gardening for the daily needs of the community.The village became a place for community to meet or to get the household needs not obtained in the field.The river was a place to get fish.And the community were still fear for the strict prohibition of the forestry on utilization of forest.b) Drugs.Medicinal materials came from the village since easy to obtain and a practical place to get medicines.Just bought at store or went to health center.Lake Debuk-debuk was also thought as an alternative treatment to treat certain diseases, such as itching, aches, gout, and so on.Though, medicinal material can be still obtained from the fields, gardens, and forests.The community has local wisdom in utilizing medicinal plants [8,9].c) Building materials.The village was a place to buy building materials such as cement, nails, zinc / tile, and others.However all building materials were imported from the market.Sand and rock can be obtained at river to make a permanent home (wall) or semi-permanent.Many building materials were predominantly found in the forest, especially for poles, frames, and boards.Villagers can also find materials from garden to make a shack.But currently, they can not be obtained directly from forest, so community bought them in market.d) Equipment or tools.Community have been easily obtained many equipments or tools from village and forest or buy them at market.e) Firewood.Mostly obtained from fields, gardens, and forests by using the branch.But, now community prefer oil or gas because it's more economical, beside it should not be carelessly taking timber in the forest.f) Webbing or ropes.Webbing materials for baskets such as rattan and bamboo or ropes were abundant in forest, village, garden, and field.g) Traditional or ritual ornament.From forest, village, garden, and field.Lake Debuk-debuk was mostly used for ritual ceremony by some community because its sacred and mystics.Even some outsiders believe that it would give them some fortunes.h) Commodities.Usually from field.Vegetables were the main commercial product with considerable potential.Land and house can be sold when in urgent condition.Whereas garden or river were not always obtainable.But if harvested coffee plantations, it would be profitable, unfortunately not lots of community interested.i) Recreation.Lake Debuk -debuk was the most important recreational place for community.It was a hotwater source coming from geothermal so community like to gather around Lake Debuk -debuk.Then recreation to forest (Sibayak Mountain) which was usually busy during the holidays.Community also made advantage by guiding the foreign (tourist) to their field.Then river was also a place for recreation by fishing, and village became a place of consolation when community gather in tavern with drinking coffee and watching television together.j) Future.The men thought that the fields have the highest value in the role of supporting life in the future because in the village were many facilities, also a place to do daily life either socially, economically, or culturally.The forest also have function of the future to protect the environment from floods and landslides.
Group of women.The result of scoring (PDM) of women's group showed that the most important types of land of all categories of use were the village, forest, field, river, garden, and Lake Debuk-debuk (Table 2).For women, village have the highest value of category of use, we can see from the total pebbles given, 295 pebbles, because village served all purposes, a place of birth, grew up, buried (death), and socialize with others.The community can gather in the village either in the hall, in jambur (large building for parties) or at the tavern and talk about important things and discuss or find a place for treatment, e.g Puskesmas as a health clinic center based on clinical medicine.Nowadays, few community has used Puskesmas than traditional treatments.Community also obtained equipments/tools both for kitchen and home or for work from village [11].
Generally, forest was included into important type of land, 240 pebbles.Villagers went to forest to collect wild plants and others to fulfill the needs of their own consumption (subsistence).Forest resources (timber and non-timber) and community as a whole unity of human life since the beginning of its [11].It was very important for community both directly and indirectly, moreover, who worked as a craftsman because sometimes they lacked the raw materials, while only the easiest solution took materials from the forest directly.
Table 2. Land types matrix by category of use of women in the Doulu Village and Jaranguda Village.Summary of land types by category of use of women : a) The food.For women, more food sources obtained in the field and river.River was seen important because getting fish freely without having to incur the cost.While the village became a place for community to fulfill their household needs which not obtained in field by buying in store.b) Drugs.According to women's group, medicinal materials were come from village as a place to find drugs in store or went to Puskesmas easily.c) Building materials.Building materials such as cement, nails, zinc / tile, and others can be obtained in village.However all building materials were imported from the market.Sand and rocks to make a permanent home (wall) or semi-permanent were abundant at river.Many building materials especially for poles, frames, and boards were predominantly found in forest.d) Equipment or tools.Community have been easily obtained many equipments or tools from village and forest or buy them at store.e) Firewood.Mostly obtained from field, garden, or forest by using the branch.While gas and oil can be obtained from village easily.f) Webbing or ropes.Webbing materials for basket such as rattan and bamboo or ropes were abundantly found in forest, village, garden, and field.g) Traditional or ritual ornament.More obtained from village and field.Decoration materials such as betel nut, lime, gambier, tobacco, lime, chicken, and goat lots acquired in village.h) Commodities.Agricultural products growing in field or paddy field were the main product to sell.i) Recreation.Village was the most important place for recreation.For women, village was a place to unite them because the togetherness was a pleasure that can not be measured.j) The future, village, field, garden, river, and forest have same meaning for women.All things were seen important because of the category of land offered by women should be maintained continuity for the future of their children and grandchildren.
The comparison of land use between Doulu and Jaranguda Village shown in Figure 4. Figure 4. showed an overview about level of interest of community in Doulu and Jaranguda Village both group of men and women to land types such as village, field, garden, river, forest, and Lake Debuk -debuk.Unless river and Lake Debuk-debuk that did not exist in Jaranguda Village.
Generally, village had been used for social life such as family, school, worship, exercise, and so on and for economic life such as farming, gardening, raising, or fishing, conducted in the fields.Logging (with permission) and taking medicinal plants and flowers commercially had generally been obtainable in forest and garden.

Natural resources supported the economy of society
Topographically, Doulu Village was a plateau area and surrounded by deleng (hill or mountain), Deleng Macik in the north, Deleng Singkut in the South, Deleng Pertektekken in the Southwest, and Deleng Sibayak (Sibayak Mountain) in the northwestern.The soil in Doulu were very loose especially on agricultural land because of the deleng and the rainfall very pretty.This soil type was well suited to agricultural land, especially for young plants (short-lived plants) such as rice, chilies, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, leek leaves, celery, and vegetables.Community used manure for crops, so the land was quite fertile and the crop was relatively excessive.
The villagers also made farmland at the foot of Deleng Singkut such as corn, coffee, strawberries, and guava tree.The type of soil found in Deleng Singkut was fertile enough because of humus remained from trunks, leaves, or woods fallen [12].

The most important plant and animal species
Determining the most important plant and animal species has been done by PDM with community both groups of men and women (Table 3 and Table 4).a. Celery have the highest value.It was deemed to be the most desirable by customer in market.Celery can also be mixed with other crops, so many community planted it.Then followed by carrot, leek leaves, cabbage, chili, tomato, rice, coffee, bamboo, banana, orange, and strawberry.Vegetables were the most important plant as the main product of agriculture.b.Kampung chicken has the highest economic value for the community.Kampung chicken was a kind of domestic animals, easy to maintain and to sell.Then, dog also have a fairly high economic value because it gave many profit as an animal keeper.

Changes on natural resource utilization
According to household survey and focus group discussion (FGD) with leaders, the changes occuring did not happen so much in the past but have the real effect, e.g. in 1980s were still many community who planted rice and vegetables on communal lands.But now, a significant changes occur which almost all farmer is farming vegetables.Today, the utilization of natural resources directly from forest is bamboo.Some community who worked as bamboo craftsmen obtained bamboo on the border between village and forest.Bamboo as one of the natural resources potential to be developed because bamboo is a multi-use plant and fast harvest [13].Bamboo obtained will be processed into wicker, basket, and plant's buffer.
Basket was mostly produced because of the higher demand than others.Based on the results, the comparation between now and ten years ago showed that 18 out of 30 (60%) expressed that now was better than the past.The reasons were the increase of production and revenue, the better access and transportation, the facilities have been more adequate in village, more jobs, living and farming, and others.Then 9 out of 30 (30%) expressed less, and 3 out of 30 (10%) expressed fixed.Some reasons were related to the less due to the high price of goods and the depletion of resources.

Conclusion
Pebble Distribution Method on group of men and women showed that community divided types of land use into field, forest, village, garden, river, and Lake Debuk-debuk.The villagers determined the highest value to village and forest.Village was the most important land because it was the center of economy, culture, education, and social.Whereas forest has been seen as lungs of life that can maintain the water system and the environmental sustainability.

Figure 2 .
Figure 2. Average value of importance level of types of land use in Doulu and Jaranguda Village

Table 1 .
Land types matrix by category of use of men in Doulu Village and Jaranguda Village.

Table 3 .
The most important plants and animals according to men.

Table 4 .
The most important plants and animals according to women.