How nature is used and valued by villagers in two villages in Uut Murung

Andrea Hoeing; Andhi Suncoko; Deni Deni; Dominic Rowland; Erisa Murray; Iis Sabahudin; Michael Zrust; Peter Houlihan; Kristina Grossmann; Matthias Waltert; Susan M. Cheyne

Andrea Hoeing BRINCC (Barito River Initiative for Nature Conservation and Communities), The Avenue, Hitchin, Herts, UK, SG4 9RJ
Andhi Suncoko Faculty of Human Ecology, Bogor Agricultural University. Indonesia
Deni Deni BRINCC (Barito River Initiative for Nature Conservation and Communities), The Avenue, Hitchin, Herts, UK, SG4 9RJ
Dominic Rowland BRINCC (Barito River Initiative for Nature Conservation and Communities), The Avenue, Hitchin, Herts, UK, SG4 9RJ
Erisa Murray Faculty of Social and Political Science, Postgraduate Department of Anthropology, University of Indonesia, Indonesia
Iis Sabahudin Faculty of Social and Political Science, Postgraduate Department of Anthropology, University of Indonesia, Indonesia
Michael Zrust Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, England NW1 4RY
Peter Houlihan BRINCC (Barito River Initiative for Nature Conservation and Communities), The Avenue, Hitchin, Herts, UK, SG4 9RJ
Kristina Grossmann Department for Development and Cultural Studies, Southeast Asia, University of Passau, Germany
Matthias Waltert Georg-August-Universität, Conservation Biology / WG on Endangered Species, Bürgerstrasse 50, Goettingen, Germany
Susan M. Cheyne Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Oxon, OX13, 5QL, U.K.

Abstract

Local communities in the upstream part of Uut Murung live in a remote forest environment. Due to its richness of natural resources there has been much interest in the region by various actors, including the government, extractive industry and conservationists. This study aimed at understanding local peoples dependencies on natural resources and the different kind of use values. Therefore, we conducted a two month expedition to two villages in Uut Murung where we conducted questionnaires, ranking methods and semi structured interviews. In general, locals were found to engage in a variety of activities to sustain livelihoods, such as fishing, hunting, gardening and searching for eaglewood. Respondents from both villages valued nature as most important from food and water supply, but also as a place to live, a stock for medicines and a stock for commodities. Animal species were found to serve different purposes for food, commodities, medicine to other purposes, such as traditional rituals. We argue that community members at our study sight might behave opportunistically despite being flexible. Our findings support the idea that a single resource might have more than one purpose; each community differs from each other, but also even within the community itself, is not homogeneous. Our findings stress the importance that locals dependencies on natural resources and social structures behind resource use, need to be understood for the long term success of any conservation or development initiative.