Management and utilization of mangrove forest products: The case study of Mendalok community, West Kalimantan

Abstract. Roslinda E, Rahayuni S, Prayoga S. 2020. Management and utilization of mangrove forest products: The case study of Mendalok community, West Kalimantan. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 6: 564-570. The management of mangrove forests by the local community in Mendalok Village, a subdistrict of Sungai Kunyit, Mempawah District, West Kalimantan has independently initiated the community to protect their settlements from coastal abrasion. The aim of this research is to discover and to make documentation out of the mangrove forest management and the utilization of its products by the rural community in Mendalok Village. This research was designed using the opinion-based-method to collect qualitative information directly from the local. Data was collected in several ways, namely: semi-structured interviews, observations, and participatory observations. The success of mangrove management is based on a community‘s experience in attempting to protect their settlements from abrasion. The management carried out by the community, starting from a plantation, maintenance to utilization. The experience in managing and utilizing mangrove forest has formed local community knowledge. Local knowledge is a power in the natural resources conservations because it is self-interest, accumulated, and potential to design effective conservation of natural resources. This is greatly supportive of conservation efforts and ensures the resources to be used in a sustainable manner.