Conservation of Rafflesia zollingeriana: Integrating conservation policy with local livelihood

Abstract

Since its discovery in 1902 by Koorders at Puger (Jember, East Java), there are only a few studies on Rafflesia zollingeriana, e.g. Hikmat (1988), Zuhud (1988), Zuhud (1989), Hikmat (2008) and Dhistira (2011), and all focusing on bioecological aspects. R. zollingeriana is the only Raffl esia species found in eastern part of Java and distributed only in Meru Betiri National Park (Zuhud, 1998; Nais, 2001). Together with 17 other Rafflesia species, its existence has been threatened by (1) forest degradation; (2) double habitat specialization: Rafflesia species only grow in certain host (Tetrastigma spp.) and the host occurs only in certain habitats; (3) until now no one succeeded in Rafflesia propagation; and (4) collection of the Rafflesia buds by local communities for medicinal purposes. Though it is threatened, conservation policy of Rafflesia spp. has not become a top government concern. While biologists are making efforts in Rafflesia propagation, the first and fourth threats are also in progress. Various efforts to counter the threats are necessary. This study will clarify the perspectives of local communities and the park management on the future of R. zollingeriana, their ideas in conserving Rafflesia, and recommendations for conservation policy of Rafflesia zollingeriana will be formulated to improve local people’s livelihood as well as incentive for Rafflesia conservation.

Full text

CONSERVATION OF
RAFFLESIA ZOLLINGERIANA:
Integrating conservation policy
with local livelihood
◦ Ellyn K. Damayanti*, E. A. M. Zuhud, A. Hikmat,
D. Lestari, N. R. Syarief

INTRODUCTION
Rafflesia spp.
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Introduction: Rafflesia spp. (1)
◦ Distribution area of Rafflesia in Southeast Asia: Indonesia,
Malaysia, Thailand, The Philippines
◦ Double habitat specialization (Nais, 2001):
◦ Rafflesia species only grow in certain hosts (Tetrastigma spp.)
◦ the hosts grow only in certain habitats
Source:
Zuhud, Hikmat, & Jamil
(1998); Nais (2001)
Meru Betiri National Park
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Source: Field survey, 2013
The habitat
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Rafflesia spp. (2)
◦ Number of Rafflesia species in the world:
◦ 1821 – 1998: 17 species (11 in Indonesia; Zuhud, et al. ,1998)
◦ ~ 2001: 18 species (11 in Indonesia; Nais, 2001)
◦ ~ 2011: 30 species (14 in Indonesia; Lestari, 2013)
◦ Rafflesia spp. in Indonesia:
◦ R. arnoldii R. Br. (Borneo, Sarawak, West Kalimantan, Bengkulu)
◦ R. patma Bl. (western part of Java)
◦ R. zollingeriana Kds. (eastern part of Java)
◦ R. rochussenii Teijs. & Binn.(West Jawa, North Sumatera)
◦ R. hasseltii Suringar (central part of Sumatera: West Sumatera, Jambi, Riau)
◦ R. borneensis Becc. (Borneo, Kutai)
◦ R. witkampi Kds. (Kutai)
◦ R. ciliata Kds. (Sekerat Mountain Range, Kutai, East Kalimantan)
◦ R. gadutensis Meijer (West Sumatera)
◦ R. keithii Meijer (Borneo, Sabah, & East Kalimantan)
◦ R. micropylora Meijer (North Sumatera)
◦ R. bengkuluensis Susatya, Arianto, & Mat-Salleh (southern part of Sumatera)
◦ R. meijeri Wiriad. & Sari (North Sumatera)
◦ R. lawangensis Mat-Salleh, Mahyuni & Susatya (Gunung Leuser NP)
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Rafflesia spp. (3)
◦ Threats to Rafflesia spp.:
◦ forest degradation
◦ double habitat specialization
◦ until now no one succeeded in Rafflesia propagation
◦ collection of the Rafflesia buds by local communities for medicinal
purposes.
◦ Status of Rafflesia spp.:
◦ IUCN, 2010: vulnerable
◦ Act No. 5/1990 of Indonesia: protected
◦ Conservation policy for Indonesian Rafflesia: not available
◦ Objective:
◦ to clarify the perspectives of local communities and the park
management on the future of R. zollingeriana & their ideas in
conserving Rafflesia,
◦ recommendation for conservation policy of R. zollingeriana to
improve local people’s livelihood as incentive for Rafflesia
conservation.
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METHODS
Methods
Meru Betiri National Park
Rafflesia zollingeriana Kds.
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Methods
◦ Data collection:
◦ Literature study
◦ Observation plot establishment
◦ Interview with people resides on the fringe of Meru Betiri NP:
◦ Gatherer/NTFP collector
◦ Middleman
◦ Users: individuals & traditional healers
◦ Other villagers
◦ Time: Jan 2012, Jul 2012, Dec 2013 – Jan 2014
◦ Location:
◦ Meru Betiri National Park
◦ Wonoasri, Curahnongko, Andongrejo, Sanenrejo villages at
Jember District, East Java Province
◦ Sarongan Village at Banyuwangi District, East Java Province
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Meru Betiri National Park
1902 ‘29 ‘31 ‘38 ‘45 ‘67 ’72 ’82 ‘87 ‘97 ‘99
Conservation of Meru Betiri by Dutch Colonial Govt.
Meru Betiri area was set up as Protection Forest by Dutch Colonial Govt.
Meru Betiri area was set up
as Nature Sanctuary by
Indonesian Govt.
Wildlife
Sanctuary
(50,000 ha)
Protection of Panthera tigris sondaica (Javan Tiger)
21 July
Wildlife
Sanctuary
(58,000 ha)
14 Oct
National
Park
(58,000 ha)
23 May
National
Park
(58,000 ha)
Minister of Agriculture Decree Minister of Forestry Decree
Zonation of
National Park
(58,000 ha)
Initial researches on Rafflesia zollingeriana Kds. by Zuhud & Hikmat
Source: MBNP (2012); Dhistira (2011)
Koorders
@Puger
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Meru Betiri National Park
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Rafflesia zollingeriana Kds.
◦ In 1902, Koorders found R. zollingeriana at Puger (Jember,
East Java)
◦ The only Rafflesia species found in eastern part of Java
◦ Endemic to Meru Betiri National Park (Zuhud, Hikmat, & Jamil,
1998; Nais, 2001) and surrounding area.
◦ Biological/ecological and distribution aspects of R.
Zollingeriana: Hikmat (1988), Zuhud (1988), Zuhud (1989),
Hikmat (2008) and Dhistira (2011)
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RESULTS &
DISCUSSION
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2012
1988-2010
Distribution of R. zollingeriana Kds.
◦ Observation plot: 19 plots of 0.1 ha.
◦ 26 sub-population found, of which 9 were new population
(never reported before)
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Perspective of respondents
◦ Respondent is people who has/ever have relation with
Rafflesia zollingeriana Kds.
◦ Number of respondent:
◦ collector (14), middleman (3), user (7), villager (20)
10
2
1 1
3
4
1 1 1
2
7
4
1
2
1
2
1
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Farmer
Fisherman
Bird hunter
NTFP collector
Trader
Jamu maker
Jamu seller
Traditional healer
Massager
Traditional
midwives
Farmer
Fisherman
Trader
Teacher
Carpenter
Labor
Palm sugar maker
Collector Middlemen User Villager
Number of respondent (N=
44)
Category of respondent
Source: Field survey, 2012
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Collector/gatherer (1)
◦ Main occupation: farmer (10), fisherman (2), bird hunter (1),
Non-timber forest product (NTFP) gatherer (1)
◦ Socio-economic condition: agricultural landless, low income
 NTFP gatherer
◦ Collection/gathering history: 1970-1980s (1986) and 2001
◦ Reasons of collecting R. zollingeriana Kds.:
◦ There were demand
◦ High price
◦ In 1980s, price of 1 kg rice was Rp. 400,-; price of dried Rafflesia buds
was Rp. 1,500,-/kg
◦ No job
◦ Following others
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Collector/gatherer (2)
◦ Collection of R. zollingeriana Kds.:
◦ Collection was done in dry season (Jan – Jun)
◦ Collection was done on all buds found
◦ Number of buds collected: 1-30 buds, fresh weight 5 – 25 kg
◦ Collecting sites first were not far from settlement, then farther
inside the forest and to the coastal forests.
◦ Impact from collection and marketing Rafflesia buds:
◦ Collectors’ income increased and they reached their prosperity
◦ Population of Rafflesia buds decreased
◦ Medicinal purpose of R. zollingeriana Kds. as one of jamu
(herbal remedy) ingredient was not local knowledge.
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Middleman
◦ Main occupation: traders (3)
◦ Socio-economic condition: agricultural landless, trading
various NTFP
◦ Starting activities as middleman: 1980-an
◦ Purchasing R. zollingeriana Kds.:
◦ The price was getting cheaper each year
◦ Demand was decreasing
◦ Number of collectors/gatherers decreased
◦ Forest ranger patrols were improved
◦ Selling R. zollingeriana Kds.:
◦ Jember
◦ Surabaya
◦ Solo
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User
◦ Main occupation: jamu maker(4), jamu seller (1), traditional
healer (1), massager (1)
◦ Socio-economic condition: agricultural landless
◦ Among the users, there was only one person who actually
used R. zollingeriana Kds. in the jamu (from 7 users at initial
information)
◦ R. zollingeriana Kds. that would be used as jamu ingredients,
must be sliced and dried first
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Villager
◦ Main occupation: traditional midwife (2), farmer(7),
fisherman (4), trader (1), teacher (2), carpenter (1), labor (2),
palm sugar maker (1)
◦ Socio-economic condition:
◦ 20% respondents owned relatively small size wet-paddy field,
◦ 5% respondents owned homegarden, and
◦ The rest of respondents managed other people’s wet paddy field
or homegarden, incuding Meru Betiri NP forestland which was
under rehabilitation program
◦ 90% respondents said that R. zollingeriana Kds. Need to be
conserved:
◦ To avoid extinction
◦ Because it is one of endangered plants of Indonesia
◦ To develop tourism
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Meru Betiri NP on Rafflesia conservation
◦ Priority for monitoring in MBNP
◦ wild bull (Bos javanicus) & Javan Eagle (Spizaetus bartelsi)
 R. zollingeriana Kds. has not prioritized  no budget for annual
monitoring
◦ Monitoring on MBNP staff patrol
◦ Though it is not prioritized and no specific program/budget, the
MBNP staffs monitor the existence of R. zollingeriana Kds. on their
patrols, especially in the Rafflesia permanent plots and other sites
where Rafflesia usually grow/bloom.
◦ Monitoring parameter: initial population (each year), new buds
(each month), buds that bloom (each month), rotten flower
(each month)
◦ Programs for supporting MBNP conservation: ecotourism,
rehabilitation, productive economy for local people, etc.
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Policy recommendation
◦ Policy recommendations for the conservation of Rafflesia
spp. that improve local people’s livelihood:
◦ to collect and develop database of Rafflesia habitats
◦ to develop stakeholders’ network
◦ to improve local communities’ income, prosperity, and
awareness through improvement of agricultural commodities,
biodiversity-prospecting, and ecotourism
◦ to develop market access for local products
◦ to rehabilitate Rafflesia habitat, research on Rafflesia breeding,
and reintroduction to natural habitat
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References
◦ Dhistira, M. A. 2011. Mapping of Rafflesia zollingeriana Kds.
habitat suitability: Case Study at Sukamade Resort Section I
Sarongan Meru Betiri National Park East Java. Undergraduate
thesis. Department of Forest Resources Conservation and
Ecotourism, Faculty of Forestry, Bogor Agricultural University. In
Indonesian language. Unpublished.
◦ Lestari, D. 2013. Conservation of Rafflesia zollingeriana Koord at
Meru Betiri National Park, East Java. Master’s thesis, Graduate
School of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB). In Indonesian
language. Unpublished.
◦ Nais, J. 2001. Rafflesia of the World. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Parks.
◦ Zuhud, E.A.M., A. Hikmat, & N. Jamil. 1998. Rafflesia Indonesia:
Diversity, Ecology, and Conservation. Bogor: The Indonesian
Wildlife Fund and Laboratory of Plant Conservation, Department of
Forest Resources Conservation, Faculty of Forestry, Bogor
Agricultural University (IPB). In Indonesian language.
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Ellyn K. Damayanti*
Ervizal A. M. Zuhud
Agus Hikmat
Faculty of Forestry, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB)
Dewi Lestari
Eka Karya Bali Botanical Garden, LIPI
Nur Rohmah Syarief
Meru Betiri National Park
*Contact: e11yn.d4mayanti@gmail.com
Authors