The Loss of Ecosystem Services in Women’s Forest at Youtefa Bay, Jayapura, Papua, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract The uniqueness of mangrove protection in Papua is found in the Enggros Tribe, Youtefa Bay, Jayapura, Indonesia, a Women’s Forest. Women’s Forest is a mangrove forest managed under the Tonotwiyat customary law of Enggros Tribe, where men are prohibited from entering and foraging in this forest. However, the function of women’s forest ecosystem services began to decline by decreasing water quality, waste accumulation, and land conversion. The loss of ecosystem services must be analyzed to identify and quantify the loss of indigenous peoples. Based on the four frameworks of ecosystem service functions of TEEB (2011), the provisioning services, regulating services, habitat services, and cultural services, then carried out by desk study and in-depth interviews, it is shown that the most perceived loss by the community was the reduction in provisioning services by the declining the number of fish and bia noor. There is also a decline in cultural services satisfaction from women’s forests, where it is a place to talk and tell stories for Enggros Women. Further research in economic losses is needed. Local management by the Enggros Tribe itself must be increased, followed by the support from external stakeholders for the sustainability of women’s forests.