Available online at HABITAT website: http://www.habitat.ub.ac.id
Interpretive Paradigm: Disclosure of Local Community Concern for the Environment (Study in Alas Purwo National Park Area, Banyuwangi, East
Java)
Kartika Putri Kumalasari1*, Anisa Aprilia2, Edlyn Khurotul Aini1, Yusri Fajar3, Anindya Prasasti1
1Faculty of Administration Science, Universitas Brawijaya, Veteran Road, Malang, Indonesia
2Socio-Economics Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Brawijaya, Veteran Road, Malang, Indonesia
3Faculty of Cultural Studies, Universitas Brawijaya, Veteran Road, Malang, Indonesia Received: 5 December 2022; Revised: 11 January 2023; Accepted: 20 June 2023
ABSTRACT
Alas Purwo National Park is a protected national park located in Banyuwangi, East Java, Indonesia. The Alas Purwo National Park currently allows for a variety of activities, including tourism and scientific study.
In its development, the tourism industry must consider environmental, economic, social, and cultural factors, among others. Additionally, Alas Purwo National Park is a state-protected park, thus environmental sustainability must be considered. The aim of this research was to investigate how people interpret the notion of environmental stewardship. This researcher employed descriptive qualitative methods with primary data sources from informants who are Bedul and Alas Purwo Banyuwangi region residents engaged in economic activities. Determination of informants utilizing semi-structured interviews and open-ended questions based on snowball sampling. The results of the study indicate that the community in Alas Purwo National Park already appreciates the importance of caring for the environment and contributing to its preservation. Moreover, managers always maintain the ecosystem and advise visitors not to harm the native flora and wildlife.
Keywords: environment; society; sustainability; biosphere reserve How to cite:
Kumalasari, K. P., Aprilia, A., Aini, E. K., Fajar, Y., & Prasasti, A. (2023). Interpretive Paradigm : Disclosure of Local Community Concern for the Environment ( Study in Alas Purwo National Park Area , Banyuwangi , East Java ). HABITAT, 34(2), 141–153.
https://doi.org/10.21776/ub.habitat.2023.034.2.13 1. Introduction
Damage to the environment is a serious challenge that humanity faces today. Nature has fallen prey to human economic activities, particularly in emerging nations (Wicaksono et al., 2022). Additionally, protected places provide essential ecosystem services and societal roles (Ritzel et al., 2023). Natural forests are essential ecosystems that reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by sequestering carbon (Mengist et al., 2023). Assessing the effects of land use scenarios on sustainable development in biosphere reserves requires the active participation of the local population (König et al., 2022). Coherence of natural environment protection plans is influenced by the number of individuals
participating, their diversity in terms of jobs held, and their familiarity with the organization and its strategy (Sołoducho-Pelc & Sulich, 2022). It is essential that the human population that each biosphere reserve can support sustainably be determined and maintained (Adeyemi et al., 2022). Young stakeholders can actively contribute to conservation and development in their own territory. They are worried about young participation in Biosphere Reserve operations and the establishment of sustainable livelihood options that will allow future generations to remain in their own regions. (Barraclough et al., 2021).
From 1986 to 2019, the habitat quality of the biosphere reserve showed a deteriorating trend (Mengist et al., 2021b). Approximately 11,000–
36,000 species become extinct annually (Mora et al., 2013), and in the majority of the world, local species richness has dropped below a critical level and must be protected. Long-term maintenance of
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*Corresponding Author.
E-mail: anisa.asa@ub.ac.id
Available online at HABITAT website: http://www.habitat.ub.ac.id the ecosystem exists (Steffen et al., 2015).
Indonesia's biodiversity represents an economic opportunity. Various policies are established by the Indonesian government to safeguard biodiversity. Among them is the establishment of a national park. A national park is a protected natural area managed for science, research, tourism, and agriculture. According to (UNESCO, 1996), biosphere reserves are conceptualized by the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program as a model area for sustainable development, where the paradigm that combines nature conservation with economic development and nurturing cultural values is tested, refined, and implemented. In accordance with Law No. 5 of 1990, national parks possess the following characteristics: (1) unique flora and fauna; (2) pristine ecosystems; (3) areas that sustain biological processes; and (4) zoning management.
The National Park is separated into numerous use zones for management purposes. Utilization zones are intended to govern land use and spatial planning. The zoning is separated into a core zone for biodiversity protection, a jungle zone for natural resource utilization, a utilization zone for tourism development, a traditional zone for utilizing particular potentials, and a rehabilitation zone for recovering regional ecosystems. The effect of management practices in a biosphere reserve may have an effect on the local population's perspective of the reserve and conservation. This indicates the necessity to involve local communities in the management and operation of biosphere reserves (Adeyemi et al., 2022). Socio-ecological forces have led to a drop in the proportion of natural habitat areas, as well as a decline in the quality and quantity of their ecosystem services (Mengist et al., 2021a).
National parks in Indonesia are managed by the Ministry of Forestry and the Environment and are protected by Category II of the World Conservation Union. Ujung Kulon National Park, Komodo National Park, Way Kambas National Park, Wakatobi National Park, Bunaken National Park, Tanjung Puting National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park, Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Lorentz National Park, and Gunung Leuser National Park are the UNESCO- recognized national parks in Indonesia. In Indonesia, there are numerous national parks that have not been recognized by UNESCO. The Alas Purwo National Park was designated as the Blambangan Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2016.
The protected Alas Purwo National Park is located in Banyuwangi, East Java (Balai TN Alas Purwo, 2017). The Decree of the Minister of Forestry No.283/Kpts-11/1992 established Alas Purwo National Park as a conservation area for the protection of flora and animals, scientific study, and tourism (P3E Jawa, 2021). As a site for the preservation of biodiversity, Alas Purwo National Park's administration is extremely concerned with environmental sustainability. Coupled with the presence of tourist-related activities in Alas Purwo National Park, management must pay increased attention to a variety of factors that may be impacted by tourism. Therefore, tourist initiatives must consider environmental, social, and cultural considerations.
To take care of the environment, it should educate the local population and reach out to tourists. Not just caring about the preservation of the ecosystem at Alas Purwo National Park, but also actively participating in its preservation.
Because national parks are commonly perceived as systems that are fully independent of humans.
In order to protect nature, it is necessary to eliminate any human involvement (Agrawal &
Gibson, 1999). This way of thought, which separates environment and civilization, exacerbates the difficulties associated with building national parks, particularly in highly populated areas (Mannigel, 2008). In truth, with the exception of a few ecosystems in wilderness areas, the ecosystems in the majority of national parks (and other protected areas) continue to interact and integrate with human culture. As a result, the national park environment demonstrates a number of cultural traits and functions as a social ecosystem that combines humans with nature.
This is backed by the fact that the involvement of local inhabitants is a fundamental aspect of the biosphere reserve idea (Stoll-Kleemann et al., 2010).
Previous studies on community awareness of the environment in protected areas tended to focus on people's preferences toward ecosystem services, factors influencing residents' perceptions and local support of tourism, and community engagement and participation in the biosphere reserve area using a quantitative research approach (Stoll-Kleemann et al., 2010; Adeyemi et al., 2022; Hu et al., 2022; Rentschler &
Williams, 2022). Meanwhile, this study focuses on the environmental concerns of the local community in the biosphere reserve region using a qualitative research approach and a variety of
Available online at HABITAT website: http://www.habitat.ub.ac.id relevant key informants. From this context, this
study was designed to investigate the public and tourist awareness of environmental protection in Alas Purwo National Park.
2. Theoretical Underpinning 2.1. Biosphere Reserve Concept
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) framework for biosphere reserves describes biosphere reserves as merely political and commercial products with little in common with the theoretical environmental and sustainable development dimensions (Paül et al., 2022). UNESCO introduced the concept of a biosphere reserve in the 1970s to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable development based on the efforts of local communities and strong science. They are a location that offers local solutions to global issues. According to Özyavuz (2012) biosphere reserves are "living laboratories for sustainable development" and sites of learning for environmental and human adaptation. Since 1970, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization has utilized biosphere reserves as part of an international initiative for biodiversity conservation and sustainable land management utilizing a participatory approach (UNESCO, 1996). This program's primary purpose is to improve the efficiency of a participatory approach to sustainable resource management (Özyavuz, 2012).
There are terrestrial, marine, and coastal ecosystems in biosphere reserves. The management of the Biosphere Reserve is separated into three zones: the core area, the buffer zone, and the transition area (transition zone).
Only in buffer zones and transition zones are activities compatible with conservation and sustainable development permitted, whereas protection policies are required for core areas (UNESCO, 1996).
This is done to ensure shared usage by local communities in biodiversity conservation, while allowing nature reserves to contribute to the economic growth of local communities, merging community-based and protected-area-based conservation measures (Ma et al., 2009; Sinclair
& Byrom, 2006). Whether they like it or not, stakeholders involved in cultural heritage must collaborate and manage trade-offs.
One of the Indonesian biosphere reserves recognized by UNESCO is the Belambangan Biosphere Reserve which is located in East Java
and combines three National Parks (Alas Purwo, Baluran and Meru) and Kawah Ijen nature reserve.
Alas Purwo National Park is included in a recognized Biosphere Reserve which consists of terrestrial and marine ecosystems featuring karst, savanna and various forest types including alpine/subalpine, upper, dry and lower (mountain) mountains, lowland, coastal and forest mangrove.
The main economic activities of the biosphere reserve are agriculture and horticulture, as well as agroforestry (teak and mahogany).
2.2. Tourism
Tourism plays a key part in justifying the biosphere reserves under study (Paül et al., 2022).
There is a close relationship between tourism and the environment. The environment is essential to tourism development since it is a key tourist attraction. According to Butler (1991), managers must improve the environmental quality of these tourist destinations since environmental sensitivity is crucial to the tourism sector.
Environmental preservation and sustainability have become a prominent concern since the 1990s (Chenavaz et al., 2022). It is crucial to emphasize that tourism must consider its impact on the environment for clean water, the preservation of flora and fauna, and the protection of other natural resources. Tourism has the greatest impact on climate and environmental changes (Gössling, 2002). This is the result of gas emissions from transportation, lodging, and other tourism-related activities (Becken & Patterson, 2006; Gössling &
Hall, 2008; Perch-Nielsen et al., 2010).
Tourism that considers all aspects for long- term interests is referred to as sustainable tourism.
Multiple areas, such as community-based tourism development, reducing the negative effects of tourism from a social and cultural standpoint, optimizing economic and environmental impacts, planning, managing tourists, and community participation, are emphasized in sustainable tourism. According to Sharpley (2000), the primary keys to sustainable tourism are the community, tourists, and sustainable development. As a result, a demand for sustainable products has emerged in this industry, and major tourist destinations strive to preserve high-quality environmental, cultural, and heritage attributes and investigate strategies and techniques for sustainable development in order to remain competitive on future markets (Hassan, 2000).
Additionally, sustainable tourism must be organized, flexible, dynamic, and integrated. In addition to the environment, community
Available online at HABITAT website: http://www.habitat.ub.ac.id involvement is also essential to sustainable
tourism.
Environmental sustainability strategies have a considerable positive impact on the viability of travel and tourist businesses (Nagendrakumar et al., 2022). Expansion of human-altered landscapes, such as settlements and agricultural fields, within the biosphere reserve, which led to a decline in habitat quality within the biosphere reserve (Mengist et al., 2021b).
Therefore, according to the notion of sustainable ecology, man must live in harmony with his surroundings (Adeyemi et al., 2022). By fostering greater opportunities in non-agricultural economic activity and structuring the spread of rural populations around biosphere reserves, forest protection could be enhanced (Auliz-Ortiz et al., 2022).
3. Research Method
This study employs qualitative interpretive research. The interpretive (or natural) approach is anchored in hermeneutics (Puxty et al., 1997) and and the verstehen tradition in sociology (Hopper et al., 1987; Hopper & Powell, 1985) and focuses primarily on people's perceptions of reality and individual meaning (Schwandt, 1994). The approach consists of grounded theory;
ethnomethodology, which focuses primarily on actors' everyday social practices and how they choose to do what they do (Chua, 1988); cognitive anthropology, which focuses on the communicative competence of individuals in specific cultures (Jönsson & Macintosh, 1997);
and symbolic interactionism, which focuses on the concepts and symbols used by actors to carry out their social life. In this study, the unit of analysis is how local residents in the villages of Bedul and Alas Purwo Banyuwangi perceive the development of nature reserves and the conduct of economic activities. This study examines the community's views and interpretations of environmental concern in achieving their economic requirements. The objective of this research is to determine how individuals interpret the idea of environmental responsibility.
Principal data sources for this study are primary data sources. The criteria for the informants are residents of the two regions who engage in economic activity there (one of them).
There were twelve informants who met the entry requirements. Ten males and two women constituted the informants. The ages of the informants range from 15 to 70 years old. 7 respondents were married, 1 was a widow, 3 were
single, and 1 did not respond. Marital status of informants 1 individual graduated from elementary school/equivalent, 3 individuals graduated from junior high school/equivalent, 3 individuals graduated from high school/equivalent, 2 individuals graduated with a bachelor's degree, and 3 individuals did not provide this information. The employment status of 12 informants was as follows: 1 did not work, 1 was a student, 5 did not have a consistent income, and 5 had a permanent job. The majority of the 12 informants (seven) worked in the field of non- agricultural entrepreneurship, while two worked in the education sector, one worked in the agricultural sector, one became the head of the village, and one did not work.
The monthly incomes of the 12 informants also varied: one person had no income because they were unemployed, one person earned IDR500,000 per month, one person had a fixed income of IDR5,000,000 per month, four people had uncertain income, and five people did not provide information about their income. The informants are residents with residences in both regions, having the following information: four individuals from Sumberasri Village, three individuals from Kalipait Village, one individual from Bloksolo Village, one individual from Bedul Village, one individual from Kedung Wungu Village, one individual from Kutorejo Village, and one one from Tegaldlimo Village. The average length of residence for the 12 respondents was 38 years and six months. From the explanation of the demographic data for the 12 interviewees, it can be inferred that they are residents of one of the research regions, namely between Bedul and Alas Purwo National Park, and that their ages, occupations, and incomes are diverse. The whole list of informants is presented in Table 1.
This study relied on primary data sources, including purposive and snowball interviews.
People who reside in one of the Bedul regions or Alas Purwo National Park qualify as informants.
In addition to economic activity in one of these regions. In addition, you can discover informants who meet the research criteria by asking locals in the region. This study will collect data using semi- structured and open-ended interviews. In order for the interviewer to delve deeper into the formulation of the problem while maintaining the primary research questions. Researchers entered the Bedul Area and Alas Purwo National Park after receiving authorization from the applicable
Available online at HABITAT website: http://www.habitat.ub.ac.id administration. Then, conduct the interview and
incorporate its results into the coding procedure.
The coding procedure is a method for grouping data based on the formulation of the problem. So, researchers can determine whether or not the data provides an answer to the issue statement. Additionally, it can read the outcomes of grouping data that has been organized.
Currently, there is also an informant triangulation method. Data can reveal whether responses are consistent or inconsistent; whether they mutually confirm or not.
The subsequent step is an analysis consisting of two phases, namely stage 1 addressing the description of community knowledge and comprehension of the Nature Reserve and stage 2 regarding the completion of community economic activities. The second stage is an examination of the community's role in nature reserves and commercial operations. After completing the two analyses and entering the data analysis I and II manuscripts. Finally, provide conclusions and recommendations
Table 1. List of Informants
No Name Gender
Age (years
old)
Marital
status Education Employment
status Job Type Income
(IDR) Domicile
Period of stay (years) 1 YW Female 20 Single
Graduated from high school/equivalent
Unemployed - - SumberAsri,
Purwoharjo 20 2 AD Female 15 Single
Graduated from Middle School/Equivalent
Student/Pupil Education 500,000 Bloksolo,
Purwoharjo 12
3 MS Male 70 widowe
r
Graduated from elementary school/equivalent
Temporary employment
Non- agricultural entrepreneur
(tour boat rental)
Uncertain Bedul,
Purwoharjo 52
4 HD Male - Married - Permanent
employment Education - SumberAsri,
Purwoharjo 19
5 SY Male 49 Married
Graduated from high school/equivalent
Temporary employment
Non- agricultural entrepreneur
(merchant)
- Kedungwungu
, Tegaldlimo 49
6 KR Male 50 - - Temporary
employment
Non- agricultural entrepreneur
(merchant)
- Kutorejo,
Tegaldlimo 50
7 SW Male 52 Single
Graduated from high school/equivalent
Permanent employment
Non- agricultural entrepreneur (Manager of camp of G-
land inn)
- Kalipait,
Tegaldlimo 14
8 LT Male 56 Married
Graduated from high school/equivalent
Temporary employment
Non- agricultural entrepreneur (G-land jeep
driver)
Uncertain Tegaldlimo,
Tegaldlimo 56
9 NH Male 37 Married
Graduated from Middle School/Equivalent
Permanent employment
Non- agricultural entrepreneur
(merchant)
Uncertain Kalipait,
Tegaldlimo 37
10 BN Male - Married Undergraduate Permanent employment
Agriculture (controller of
forest ecosystem in
Alas Purwo
- Kalipait,
Tegaldlimo 25
Available online at HABITAT website: http://www.habitat.ub.ac.id National
Park)
11 FH Male - Married Undergraduate Temporary employment
Non- agricultural Entrepreneurs
(Travel Services)
Uncertain SumberAsri,
Purwoharjo 25
12 YS Male 52 Married Undergraduate Permanent
employment Kepala desa 5,000,00 0
SumberAsri,
Purwoharjo 52 Source: Created by the authors based on data analysis
Figure 1. Research Procedure
Source: Created by the authors based on data analysis 4. Results and Discussions
Bedul is an ecotourism area in the village of Sumberasri, district of Purwoharjo, Banyuwangi, East Java. Along the perimeter of Segara Anak Alas Purwo National Park, the Bedul mangrove forest covers an area of 2,300 hectares, or around 16 kilometers. Indonesia is home to 27 species of mangroves, the greatest diversity of which can be found anywhere in the world. This mangrove forest is home to monkeys, monitor lizards, cranes, albatrosses, and blibis, among other species. In reality, there are approximately 16 migratory bird species from Australia during specific months, including the sacred kingfisher (Halcyon chloris/Todirhampus sanctus), sea
hornbill (Merops philippinus), beach sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), and bush sandpiper (Tringa glareola). The fascinating aspect is that the Bedul Block Ecotourism Management Agency, whose administrators are locals, manages ecotourism.
Prior to 1992, the Alas Purwo region was a national park known as the South Banyuwangi Wildlife Sanctuary. Consequently, Decree of the Minister of Forestry No. 283/Kpts-II/1992 declared an area of 44,037.30 ha as Alas Purwo National Park. The Alas Purwo National Park area is geographically located near the eastern end of Java Island in the South Coast region, Tegaldlimo and Purwoharjo sub-districts, Banyuwangi Regency, East Java Province. On the island of Java, Alas Purwo National Park is a forest area
Available online at HABITAT website: http://www.habitat.ub.ac.id that contains many types of intact ecosystems.
From the coastline (coastal forest) through lowland rain forest, mangrove forest, bamboo forest, artificial savanna, and plantation forest, there are a variety of ecosystems. The diversity of Alas Purwo National Park's terrestrial flora is high. It is reported that there are around 700 plant species ranging from undergrowth to tree-level vegetation. Sawo Kecik (Manilkara kauki) is the typical plant of this national park, while Sadeng is a protected species (Livistoma rotundifolia).
Alas Purwo National Park is not only rich in flora, but also in terrestrial fauna, including animals, birds, and herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians). In Alas Purwo National Park, 45 species of animals have been documented to date.
Bulls (Bos javanicus), Timor deer (Rusa timorensis), Ajag (Cuon alpinus), Wild Boars (Sus scrofa), Deer (Muntiacus muntjak), Javan Leopards (Panthera pardus melas), Monkey King (Tracypithecus auratus), and Long-tailed Monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) are frequently observed in the Alas Purwo. More than 250 species of birds have been identified in the order Aves. The White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), the Bido Snake Eagle (Spilornis cheela), the Green Junglefowl (Gallus varius), the Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus), the Little Egret
(Egretta garzetta), the Rhino Hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros), the Javan Green Peacock (Pavo muticus), Crested Tern (Sterna bergii) and Javan Cekakak (Halcyon cyanoventris). Herpetofauna comprises of amphibian and reptile classes. There have been identified 70 species of herpetofauna, including 17 species of amphibians and 53 species of reptiles. There are seven protected reptile species, including the Olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), and the gray monitor lizard (Varanus nebulosus), Bodo Pythons (Python bivittatus) and Estuarine Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus).
4.1. Description of Community Awareness and Understanding of Nature Reserves and Fulfillment of Economic Activities The introductory description describes the viewpoints of local informants. Ten of twelve informants rated our statements. In general, the statement describes the duty of individuals who reside or work in Bedul Biosphere Reserve and Alas Purwo National Park. Table 2 displays the complete outcomes of data processing.
Table 2. Results of Community Awareness Data Management of Biosphere Reserves
Awareness Items
Informant Initials The average value of
each statement YW AD MS HD SY KR SW LT NH BN
A biosphere reserves is internationally
recognized as areas of high importance.
3 4 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 5 4.6
A biosphere reserve is a collection of protected forest regions.
4 3 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 5 4.6
A biosphere reserve is a location that protects natural and cultural assets and ensures sustainable development.
4 4 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 4.7
A biosphere reserve is an educational and research- friendly location.
4 4 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 4.7
Utilizing biosphere reserves to manage land in a way that is beneficial to people and the
environment.
4 4 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 4.7
Available online at HABITAT website: http://www.habitat.ub.ac.id The average value of
each informant 3.8 3.8 5 5 4.6 5 5 4.4 5 5 Source: Processed data, 2022
The data describes two data analyses: the average value of each statement and the average value of each informant. Consider the average value of each statement first. There are five assertions offered by the researcher. The statement with the same score as the statement with the lowest score is that a Biosphere Reserve is an area of international significance and recognition.
The biosphere reserve is a collection of protected forest areas totaling 4.6 square kilometers. The biosphere reserve is subject to human pressures and calls for conservation measures (Mengist et al., 2022). In addition, biosphere reserves as a heritage as well as sustainable development, education, and effective management have a value of 4.70. This indicates that the surrounding population is well informed about the biosphere reserve. Biosphere reserves are an effective technique to manage protected forest groupings. However, the value for the statement concerning international recognition and protected forest land is 0.01. Due to the fact that the three informants, YW, AD, and SY, believed they did not agree on these two points.
Nonetheless, YW, AD, and SY, along with seven other informants, namely MS, HD, KR, SW, LT, NH, and BN, agree that biosphere reserves are a place, a good method of land management, and a learning area not just now but also in the future.
foreseeable future on a continuing basis.
Therefore, education for sustainable development is one of the most essential strategies for promoting environmental awareness and enhancing environmental knowledge (Panitsa et al., 2021).
The local populace is a vital part of the structures of biosphere reserves (Adeyemi et al., 2022). In addition, practically all informants believe that Biosphere Reserves are a strategy to manage land in a way that is beneficial to humanity and the environment. This understanding is valued at 4.7. There were just three informants that partially agreed with the statement. All of these responses indicate agreement that humans must effectively manage the environment in biosphere reserves for the benefit of both the ecosystem and humans.
Assessment of ecosystem services may bolster the position of stakeholders and help them overcome biosphere reserve management issues (Sagie &
Orenstein, 2022). Especially young stakeholders have a broad awareness of the opportunities and problems presented by environmental governance, including resilience and adaptation to global change and the governance challenges of implementing adaptive co-management and expanding stakeholder participation (Barraclough et al., 2021).
Local municipal governments should encourage entrepreneurship, financial support, and investment in the community, as well as build small and medium firms for the informal business sector, where the majority of unskilled labor is situated (Dikgwatlhe & Mulenga, 2023). Existing self-governance conformed to the community's passed-down and utilized local knowledge. This is the optimal blend of indigenous knowledge and autonomy (Wicaksono et al., 2022). In the meanwhile, civil society organizations are able to provide such training and can therefore play a crucial role in empowering local communities (Lucungu et al., 2022). The majority of participants continue to view the role of people in addressing environmental issues as being restricted to individual, passive, or reactive acts, or as being reduced to being responsible consumers, which is a typical top-down conception of community engagement (Sapiains et al., 2022). Volatility in the corporate environment and uncertainty over the long-term future raise the significance of an organization's commitment to ecology and the need to develop natural environment conservation plans (Sołoducho-Pelc & Sulich, 2022).
The difficulties encountered by informants when working in the Alas Purwo National Park region in terms of management and the number of tourists. Management in the Alas Purwo National Park region concerns internal improvements such as an unclear management structure and the lack of separation of interests has resulted in an unjust distribution of cash, particularly in terms of income based on information from MS. MS indicated that a working group with a predetermined distribution is responsible for tourism management in that region. 2007 marked the beginning of the establishment of tourism management. A working group served as a stand- in for tourism administration. One of the working groups is responsible for transport. In 2015, the
Available online at HABITAT website: http://www.habitat.ub.ac.id allocation was in accordance with the agreement,
allowing for the efficient operation of economic operations. This occurred as a result of the participation of government officials in the creation of these tourist sites.
Locally led community revitalization resulting in resilient and equitable social, economic, and environmental community structure improvements (Norris et al., 2022).
Community members typically have stronger relationships to local groups, which offer them with numerous opportunities to participate with their environment in ways they value (Rentschler
& Williams, 2022). People who still cling to their region's customs are typically resistant to the temptation of money, which has become the principal objective of many modern humans (Wicaksono et al., 2022).
In 2015, the average daily revenue was roughly IDR9,000,000. However, when COVID 19 became a barrier to tourism in the environment, it became apparent. As a result of the poor management structure, irregularities began to emerge in the distribution of income allocation, which was intermingled with personal and working group interests. Thus, leading to unhealthy competition that might be detrimental to other parties. This is consistent with HD's explanation that there was a misunderstanding with the manager. SY, KR, and NH noted that the agreement on the location of sales or the division of sales locations. Because only specific locations are designated as selling locations to make selling more convenient. However, they recognized that they were selling in a protected Biosphere Reserve Area and therefore could not expand or add more economic activity zones in order to keep their authenticity. For the challenges encountered by BN, a forest ecosystem controller is a tourist who frequently removes sand from the beach in the southern region; therefore, the Alas Purwo National Park must issue stringent appeals and restrictions.
Apart from the obstacles, there are also inputs or criticisms from tourists towards the manager of the Alas Purwo National Park as stated by SW, a field camp manager whose job is to ensure that the conditions in the field work according to the way. Criticism that comes in the form of a food menu served at the camp or lodging can be in the form of traditional dishes, you don't need to serve western food so that you feel the uniqueness of the Alas Purwo National Park itself.
The economic activities that occur in Alas
Purwo National Park are extremely diverse, including surfing or surfing, which is very popular with international tourists, lodging places built around Alas Purwo National Park, places to eat, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) which are built by the local community, as well as ecotourism activities surrounding Mangrove Bedul by boat. This tourism activity has a positive effect on the neighboring community by increasing income and creating employment opportunities. In addition to having an economic impact, Alas Purwo National Park is frequently used as a study location by both university scholars and students. Several parties, including the Banyuwangi Fisheries Service and local community grants, provide financial help to the Bedol Mangrove manager for boat-based tourism activities. According to the village chief of Bedol, the Mangrove Park here is the second- best in the nation, and the Indonesian National Armed Forces frequently arrange mangrove planting events. Unfortunately, Bedul Tourism is not doing well due to a decline in the number of tourists and a lack of help from the local government in tourism management, as of the present. According to the Head of Bedol Village, in contrast to the years 2008 to 2013, visitors to Alas Purwo National Park are spiritual tourists. Numerous travelers desire to practice meditation, and rituals at this location. Spiritual tourists are also searching for holy water when they visit. It is said that Alas Purwo National Park is a holy spot where one can commune with nature. In addition to being a spiritual location, Alas Purwo National Park is presently a popular tourist destination.
4.2. Existing management and policies in Alas Purwo National Park
Alas Purwo National Park is administered by the Ministry of Forestry and Environment. In terms of timber planting management, however, the Ministry of Forestry is in charge. Within the supervision of Alas Purwo National Park, there are also Non-Governmental Organizations that aid in the development of traders' companies, the community's farms, and other support. In addition, the manager of Alas Purwo National Park frequently provided material and non-material help to the neighboring community and educated them on the significance of environmental protection. And the agricultural sector is especially vital to protected areas and their surrounding municipalities (Ritzel et al., 2023).
Available online at HABITAT website: http://www.habitat.ub.ac.id SW noted that Alas Purwo National Park is
a protected forest, hence a permit must be obtained from the National Park's management in order to engage in activities or start a business there.
Establishment of a company is also permitted within the usage zone, but not anywhere else, as this would compromise the preservation of the native flora and animals. The same applies to coverage on national television and visits to protected regions; permits must be requested from the head office and paid for. For the sake of maintaining order and comfort at Alas Purwo National Park, the manager pays close attention to the number of people allowed in. Visitors will be redirected to other places if the capacity is surpassed.
4.3. The optimistic outlook for Alas Purwo National Park
The management of Alas Purwo National Park hopes that environmental sustainability would be maintained in the future despite the presence of tourism. As SW stated, environmental sustainability must continue to be a top priority and primary objective, regardless of the number of tourists. Similar to what BN stated, it is hoped that an increasing number of individuals will care about environmental sustainability and cleanliness and be aware of their importance. The Head of Bedol Village had other expectations; he expects that the Bedol Ecotourism Mangrove will resume operations in the future. They believe that Alas Purwo National Park will continue to flourish and maintain environmental sustainability in the future.
5. Conclusions
This research concludes that tourism activities in Alas Purwo National Park do not cause park administrators and the neighboring population to disregard environmental preservation. Even though there are tourism- related activities and tourist visits, the management of Alas Purwo National Park prioritizes environmental preservation. It is evident from the presence of activities such as environmental ecosystem guards whose duty it is to constantly monitor so that the preservation of flora and fauna in Alas Purwo National Park is maintained, outreach and education to the local community about environmental preservation, appeals to tourists to protect the environment, a prohibition on tourists damaging habitat, and support from various stakeholders to protect the
environment. It is necessary to identify a gap between the objectives of community inhabitants for the development of national parks and community tourism and the current stage of development, suggesting that these communities would benefit from management measures to offset the negative effects of tourism (Hu et al., 2022). It is evident that tourism activities have a favorable effect on the economy of the surrounding community and improve Alas Purwo National Park's revenue, in addition to contributing to environmental sustainability.
Meanwhile, this research resulted in a policy suggestion for Alas Purwo National Park's tourist managers to revamp the Bedul Ecotourism Mangrove. It would be a great shame if these tourist attractions were not managed correctly, as they have a great deal of potential. With this context in mind, the good condition of the mangroves and the vistas they offer justify redeveloping this tourist destination so that it can resume operations. Meanwhile, young stakeholders are crucial participants in social- ecological systems, with the potential to be agents of sustainability transformation but a high risk of exclusion as global change issues develop (Barraclough et al., 2021). And examining environmental public policy and political incentives is strongly suggested (Al-Nimer et al., 2022).
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