Local operations of forest policies by frontline foresters in tropical Asia

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K16240
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Environmental policy and social systems
• Research Institution: Kyushu Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Ota Masahiko 九州工業大学, 教養教育院, 准教授 (80752279)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 現場森林官 / 第一線の官僚制 / 裁量 / 農村社会 / 政治経済

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study explored actual operations and behavioral principles of frontline foresters in tropical Asia. In teak plantation regions of Java, Indonesia, forest laws were not necessarily strictly applied; discretionary decisions in law enforcement were confirmed. The power of the State Forestry Corporation over local people has been weakened since the 2000s, where strict enforcement of forest laws is difficult for frontline foresters. It is implied that it would be meaningful to analyze tropical foresters’ discretions, namely, avoidance of strict application of forest laws, in the changing political economic context between forest administration and local communities. Regarding Forest Management Units in Sumatra, human and financial resources were considerably limited, and therefore they were undertaking curtained limited activities.

Free Research Field

森林政策学、地域研究