Abstract
The previous export quota system for wild agarwood in Indonesia was criticized for neglecting the lack of a scientific basis, rampant illegal trade, and excessive harvesting by outsiders, leading to the depletion of agarwood and loss of benefits to local communities. This study examines the impact of the new export quota system, established in the mid-2000s in response to CITES interventions, on the management of wild agarwood in the former East Kalimantan Province, focusing on these issues. We analyzed legal documents regarding the system’s design and interviewed stakeholders at the national, provincial，and local levels regarding the implementation of the system. We found that the new system, designed to set quotas based on diverse monitoring by stakeholders, failed because of insufficient monitoring and quota determinations influenced by specific stakeholders. The system intended to prevent illegal trade at all levels but was estimated to have illegal trades exceeding three times the quota. However, although the system prioritized harvesting by outsiders, customary laws controlled outsiders’harvesting and prioritized local residents. The system has not resolved the issues of scientific basis and illegal trade, and the government has utilized it to make their existence invisible by appealing to an image of improved management.
