Short Communication: Willingness to participate in planting and protecting mangrove forest: community response related to mangrove fruit product utilization in Pariti, Timor Island, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract. Kurniadi R, Koeslulati EE. 2020. Short Communication: Willingness to participate in planting and protecting mangrove forest: community response related to mangrove fruit product utilization in Pariti, Timor Island, Indonesia. Trop Drylands 4: 1-4. Mangrove forests provide a wide range of goods and services so that protecting them is of great importance. In some areas in Indonesia, there is some utilization of mangrove fruit as cookies or any kind of food, however, it was not the case in Pariti, Kupang Regency, Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) Province. This form of utilization might serve as stimulus for mangrove restoration and protection by local community. This research aimed to investigate the attitude of local communities in mangrove conservation which is reflected by their willingness to restore and protect the forest stimulated by fruit utilization for cookies. A total of 27 respondents were interviewed using a questionnaire, purposively selected. The result showed that the willingness of communities to protect the mangrove forest was low (3.7%) as well as the willingness to plant mangrove trees (3.7%). Despite the acceptance to develop cookies from mangrove fruit was high (100%), but they need to see its market. They will be motivated to plant mangroves if the market for fruit products exists or when there is a program. Unless the market of mangrove fruit cookies is developed, it could not serve as the stimulus for planting and protecting mangroves.