Social Forestry in Java: Reorienting Management Systems Available to Purchase

In Java, as in many developing nations, forestry bureaucracies control vast land areas. Many such agencies were formed during the colonial era to generate revenues for the government and protect "state" forest resources. As population and state controls on forest land have expanded, conflict between forestry agencies and local communities over land access has increased. This paper examines how social scientists worked with foresters in Java to evolve new management systems responsive to both national objectives and the needs of the rural poor. It explores the historical relations of the agency and the people to state forests. The authors describe the process used and problems encountered in assisting the agency shift from a paramilitary, technical orientation to a community organizing approach. Their experience indicates the important role social scientists can play in facilitating cooperation between natural resource bureaucracies and rural communities.