Environmental impact of private forest management in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara

Abstract

Abstract Community forestry has several impacts on the environment, both physical and social economics. This study aims to determine the environmental impacts of private forest activities in Central Lombok, especially on runoff and soil erosion. The hydrological modelling approach operating Soil and Water Analysis Tools (SWAT) was used to describe the hydrological response such as runoff and soil erosion that occurs as the impacts of private forests. The results revealed that runoff and soil erosion observed in 2008-2014 had the same trend, with a polynomial pattern that increases at the beginning of the measurement and drops at the end. It means that the longer the age of the private forest, the higher runoff and soil erosion will be reduced and the better the quality of the environment. Thus, intensive private forests need to be development to improve environmental quality.