Does the intervention of regional authorities contribute to sustainable mangrove eotourism? Case Study on Mangrove Management at Karangsong, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Mangrove ecotourism as one of the tools for mangrove forest conservation has indeed a large impact on the protection of mangrove forests. This paper assesses the intervention of local authorities in the management of mangrove ecotourism by the local community. A qualitative method was used with in-depth interviews involving local communities, including local leaders, local resource users, and local authorities. The findings of this paper show that the intervention of local authorities in mangrove rehabilitation management can cause a threat to mangrove sustainability in terms of environmental protection. The involvement of the community in the mangrove ecotourism management has become indeed remarkable. The intervention of the government in the mangrove ecotourism management through a policy is believed to reduce the community participation. Co-management as an approach to engaging the community in mangrove management can mediate the management conflict between the local community and the government. Furthermore, the development of the relevant policy is necessary following the successful implementation of the community-based mangrove rehabilitation and preservation of mangrove forests as part of environmental protection.