Kajian kerusakan hutan konservasi suaka mrgasatwa Kateri di Kabupaten Belu Propinsi NTT

MUTI, Ferdinand Un, Prof.Dr.Ir. Chafid Fandeli, MS

2007 | Tesis | S2 Ilmu Lingkungan (Magister Pengelolaan Lingkunga

Penelitian ini bertujuan mengkaji kerusakan kawasan hutan konservasi Suaka Margasatwa dengan cara mengetahui kondisi dan luas sebaran kerusakan, mengetahui faktor penyebab terjadinya kerusakan, serta mengetahui dampak kerusakan hutan terhadap sumberdaya air dan pengurangan populasi satwa liar serta vegetasi. Penelitian ini dilakukan di kawasan hutan Suaka Margasatwa Kateri yang berada di wilayah Kabupaten Belu Propinsi Nusa Tanggara Timur. Metode yang digunakan adalah survei terhadap sumber mata air, vegetasi penyusun dan satwa liar serta 60 responden Kepala Keluarga sebagai sampel dari 574 Kepala Keluarga. Sampel responden diambil dari warga lokal di Desa Kateri dan Desa Kereana sedangkan warga baru (penduduk pendatang) diambil dari Desa Kamanasa. Teknik mengumpulkan data dengan cara observasi, pengukuran, wawancara, dan penyebaran quesioner. Penentuan sample plot lokasi pengamatan vegetasi atas dasar tataguna lahan yang dirambah dan yang masih alami. Penentuan kemelimpahan satwa liar dengan wawancara, pengamatan jejak dan kotoran hewan. Teknik mengumpulkan data responden dengan cara wawancara dan penyebaran quesioner. Analisis data menggunakan analisis deskriptif tabulasi frekuensi dan tabulasi silang. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa luas kerusakan hutan Suaka Margasatwa Kateri sebesar 1.516,05 Ha (32,26%), yang tersebar mengikuti jalur jalan, pemukiman dan ditengah hutan. Kerusakan hutan ini disebabkan karena aktivitas perambahan yang dilakukan oleh penduduk pendatang (warga baru) dan penduduk lokal, untuk permukiman, perladangan dan pengambilan kayu. Faktor penyebab terjadinya kerusakan kawasan hutan ini adalah rendahnya tingkat sosial dan perekonomian rumah tangga, baik penduduk lokal maupun penduduk pendatang, tuntutan kebutuhan ekonomi rumah tangga yang mendesak dari penduduk pendatang, kecemburuan sosial penduduk lokal terhadap penduduk pendatang, dan lunturnya atau melemahnya budaya/kearifan lokal yang berlaku pada daerah kajian, sehingga pihak-pihak yang tidak bertanggung jawab memanfaatkannya untuk merusak hutan Pengetahuan responden tentang manfaat dan fungsi hutan tidak menunjukan adanya pengaruh karena rata-rata berpengetahuan tinggi. Dampak kerusakan hutan Suaka Margsatwa Kateri adalah berkurangnya luasan hutan sebagai kawasan resapan air, berkurangnya vegetasi penutup atau vegetasi penyusun, bertambahnya luas lahan kritis, berkurangnya ketersediaan sumberdaya air, berkurangnya atau hilangnya jenis flora maupun fauna sehingga keanekaragaman jenis berkurang, serta manfaat hutan secara ekonomis bagi warga yang bermukim disekitar hutan ini menjadi berkurang, karena hasil hutan non kayu seperti buah/biji, lebah madu yang dapat dipanen sudah berkurang.

This research was aimed to assess deforestation of conservation forest of Kateri wildlife refuge by identifying the condition and the spread of deforestation, identifying causal factors of the deforestation, and identifying the impacts of such deforestation on water resource and decline of wild animals and vegetation species number. This research was carried out in the forest area of wildlife refuge of Kateri located within the territory of Belu district in NTT province. The method of research was survey carried out on the water springs, vegetation that formed the forest, wild animals, and 60 family head respondents as the samples of 574 family heads. These samples of respondents were selected from Kateri and Kareana villages (local inhabitants) and Kamanasa village (new immigrants). The techniques to collect data were observation, measurement, interview, and questionnaires distribution. Sample selection for location plots to observe the vegetation was based on forest space that was cleared and was still in their natural condition. The abundance of wild animals was determined through interviews and observations of animal tracks and feces. The techniques for data collection from the respondents was performed through interviews and distribution of questionnaires. Data was analyzed using a descriptive analysis of frequency tabulation and cross tabulation. The results of research indicated that the extent of deforestation in wildlife Refuge of Kateri was 1,516.05 hectares (32.26%), spreading along the pathways, settlements and inside the forest areas. Such deforestation was caused by wood clearing activities of the inhabitants (new immigrants and local inhabitants) to open new settlements, farms, and to obtain wood. Among the factors that caused such deforestation of the forest area were poor economic and social status of the households, both local people and immigrants, pressure of economic needs of the immigrant households, social jealousy of the local people towards the immigrants, and the fade or decline of local cultural value/wisdom at the research location so that those who were irresponsible took the opportunity to destroy the forests. Respondents’ knowledge about the benefits and functions of forests did not indicate any effects because they generally had much knowledge. The impacts of the damage of forest area in wildlife refuge of Kateri were the reduce of forest size as the water absorption area, the reduce of vegetation cover or vegetation that form the forest, the increase of critical land size, the decrease of water resource, the decline or loss of flora and fauna species so that their variety decreased, and the economic benefits of forest for the people living around the forest decreased because non-wood forestry products such as fruits and grains and honey bee that can be harvested continued to be decreased.

Kata Kunci : Pengelolaan Lingkungan,Hutan Konservasi,Suaka Margasatwa,Kerusakan,Deforestation, Conservation, Wildlife Refuge, Kateri