Women discussing social forestry.
Illustration by Hasan Basri.

By Tessa D Toumbourou, Mia B Dunphy, Lilis Mulyani, Ilmiawan Auwalin Rumayya Annisa Sabrina Hartoto, Gutomo Bayu Aji, Marcellinus Mandira Budi Utomo, Nurul Auliya Amin, Yasmita Yaman, Ferdy Azmal Fakhrani, Pitaloka Ainun Yasmin, Asia Afriyani, Masri, Dian Arisanti, Darkono Tjawikrama, Rachel S Friedman, and Andrea Rawluk.

Read the full paper here.

In Indonesia, the government has granted forest management rights to local communities, allowing some local people to use some sections of forests within their permit area for their livelihood needs, and to manage other areas sustainably. This is part of a program called social forestry, which aims to both protect forests and improve local livelihoods and well-being.

We wanted to understand how social forestry is impacting the well-being of local communities. To do this, we first asked what ‘a good life’ means to people in these communities, instead of relying only on externally imposed or constructed ideas about well-being.

Through face-to-face and online discussions with men and women, as well as interviews, and a survey of 400 households across four Indonesian villages (figure 2 shows the methods we used), we found that access to land, equipment and basic infrastructure was crucial for people to support sustainable livelihoods. Good relationships—within families and communities—also played a key role in how people could use their land and resources effectively. When people had these material things and social support, they could focus on other aspects of life that were important to them, such as religious pilgrimages, cultural traditions, and securing a better future for their children (depicted in figure 3).

We then sought to understand how social forestry aligns with these well-being priorities, and who benefits. We found that social forestry helped some people gain land access and farming support, which improved their income. However, most people (an average of 67%) in social forestry areas knew little about the program. Many, including those whose land fell within these areas, were unaware of their rights. Wealthier households and men were more likely to benefit, while poorer households and women faced barriers. Lack of clear information, restrictive enrolment rules, and inconvenient meeting times made it harder for women and marginalized groups to participate.

To ensure social forestry benefits everyone, it is crucial to make participation more inclusive. This would not only improve local well-being but also strengthen community support for forest conservation.