Closer to People and Trees: Will Decentralization Work for the People and the Forests of Indonesia?

The document analyzes the transition from a highly centralized forestry regime to a decentralized system in Indonesia. It finds that district governments, driven by the need for locally generated revenue (PAD), have established 'district timber regimes' characterized by the issuance of small-scale logging permits and the legalization of illegal timber. While local communities have gained more access to resources, profits largely accrue to capital providers. Furthermore, conservation areas are increasingly viewed as economic burdens, leading to threats of reclassification and encroachment.

• The decentralization process shifted decision-making authority primarily to districts and municipalities rather than provinces to prevent separatist aspirations and bring government closer to the people.
• District governments have prioritized the generation of locally generated revenues (PAD) from forestry to meet budgetary needs, often ignoring environmental sustainability and reforestation.
• A 'district timber regime' has emerged where local governments issue small-scale concession permits (HPHH and IPPK) to cooperatives or individuals, which often leads to significant forest conversion.
• Some districts have effectively legalized illegal logging by creating regulations that allow timber harvested outside the formal regime to be traded if district charges are paid.
• Conservation areas are frequently perceived by district governments as 'idle lands' and lost economic opportunities, leading to attempts to reclassify them for other uses.
• The management of national parks is hindered by a lack of coordination between the central government and district authorities, as well as a decline in central funding.
• While decentralization has increased local community access to forest resources, the high cost of permits means that most profits are captured by 'capital providers' rather than the local people.
• The redistribution of natural resource revenues from the central government to regions has been plagued by delays and a lack of transparency, fueling mistrust between the center and the regions.

APA

Resosudarmo, I. A. P. (2002). Closer to People and Trees: Will Decentralization Work for the People and the Forests of Indonesia? World Resources Institute. http://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pdf/eaa_decent_daju.pdf

Chicago

Resosudarmo, Ida Aju Pradnja. Closer to People and Trees: Will Decentralization Work for the People and the Forests of Indonesia? World Resources Institute, 2002. http://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pdf/eaa_decent_daju.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Resosudarmo |first1=Ida Aju Pradnja |title=Closer to People and Trees: Will Decentralization Work for the People and the Forests of Indonesia? |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=February 2002 |url=http://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pdf/eaa_decent_daju.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{resosudarmo2002closer, author = {Resosudarmo, Ida Aju Pradnja}, title = {{Closer to People and Trees: Will Decentralization Work for the People and the Forests of Indonesia?}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2002}, month = feb, url = {http://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pdf/eaa_decent_daju.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }