Land cover changes and carbon storage before and after community forestry program in Bleberan village, Gunungkidul, Indonesia, 1999–2018

Abstract

Abstract This study investigated the land cover changes, carbon storage dynamics and their underlying socio-economic processes before and after a community forest permit in Bleberan village, Gunungkidul, Indonesia, during 1999–2018. We used a combination of the forest canopy density model, carbon conversion and socio-economic related data to analyze land cover classes in the periods of 1999–2003, 2003–2009, and 2009–2018, representing the phases of several years before community forestry permit, initial phase of community forestry establishment and several years after community forestry permit, respectively. Results showed that at baseline (1999), where illegal logging was started on the ground, the condition of the 40 ha investigated area was dominated by non-forest in the form of open land by 54% with an amounted carbon storage of 1352.62 ton. In the phase of before community forestry permit (1999–2003), when there was continuous illegal logging, the open land rise quickly achieved to 83%, with only 312.09 ton of carbon storage remaining. In the initial phase of community forestry establishment (2003–2009), when the government issued a legalization of community forest, the mixed dryland agriculture shifted to dominate the area by 55%, with the carbon storage being increased to 1840.94 ton. The last phase, several years after community forestry permit (2009–2018), which characterized by active engagement of the community in forest rehabilitation, the area was altered to fully stocked teak plantation forest by 82%, with a carbon storage enhancement of 3379.16 ton or two times higher than that at baseline. Such results are important for the forest community authority and related stakeholder for designing appropriate forest-related policies and supporting REDD + implementation.