Impact of Decentralization on Forest Resource Management in Indonesia
In Indonesia, the fall of President Suharto’s regime (1965-1998) translated into profound changes in the relations between the centre and the periphery. The changes have been most radical in the provinces rich in natural resources. The paper focuses on the impacts of « Regional Autonomy » on the management of forest resources in two districts of East Kalimantan (Indonesian part of Borneo). A description of the reorganization of the forestry sector in Indonesia is followed by an analysis of the new autonomous practices of the districts. Based on field case studies and taking distances with predictive and idealised studies of decentralised politics and policies, the paper assesses the economic, social and ecological impacts of the new trends in forest management on forest people in Indonesia.