Sustaining Local Livelihoods by Utilization of the Mangrove Ecosystem in Batam, Indonesia

Abstract

Mangrove forests have decreased worldwide in recent decades with land-use changes in coastal areas, which have converted mangrove forests into industrial, aquaculture, and agriculture areas. It has been argued that the decrease in mangrove forests has been affected by the economies of developed countries, but that economic development cannot be restrained to preserve the livelihoods of people in developing countries. Therefore, both “mangrove conservation” and “preservation of local livelihoods” are needed. This study characterised the relationships between mangrove forest and human activity under the influence of an outside economy. Batam Island, Indonesia, is near Singapore and has been affected by Singaporean industries and developed as an important site for industrialisation. We focused on the utilisation of mangrove forests by local people and the influence of a foreign economy. Our results suggested that mangrove charcoal production is a model activity that maintains the livelihood of local people at an appropriate level without affecting the mangrove forests of Batam Island.