Forest Conservation and Social Welfare: The Legal Perspective of Society-Based Forest Resource Management in Ngawi Regency, Indonesia

Forest management in Java currently tends to be centralized. It is implemented in a top-down manner with state-based forest resource management, causing conflicts in the community. Thus, there needs to be a new paradigm, which is society-based forest management. The objective of this research is to analyze the society-based forest management in Ngawi Regency, East Java, Indonesia from a legal perspective. The legal perspective of society-based forest management is the essence of this policy because, without legal support, the management would be illegal. This study used the socio-legal research approach, with a naturalistic qualitative method. The results show that from the perspective of the legal implications, society-based forest management brings society benefits in the economic aspect. Such a benefit encourages society to protect the forest because it is more profitable for them if the forest is protected rather than destroyed. In the social aspect, it increases the welfare of the people. There is also legal certainty in the form of a cooperation agreement between the company and the forest farmers. In the ecological aspect, it contributes to forest preservation as forests are better maintained.