Assessment of Community Participation in Mitigating Human–Sumatran Elephant Conflict around Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32734/jsi.v10i01.26339Keywords:
Community Participation, Conservation, Gunung Leuser National Park, Human–Elephant Conflict, MitigationAbstract
One of the key conservation priorities surrounding Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia, is human-elephant conflict (HEC) mitigation. Crop raiding into agricultural lands and settlements has caused significant losses, including crop damage, social disruption, and economy that threaten local livelihoods. It also impacts long-term elephant conservation efforts. Successful conflict mitigation relies heavily on community involvement. Understanding local participation is crucial for designing effective and sustainable management strategies. This study aimed to analyze the level of community participation in HEC mitigation in Sapo Padang Hamlet, Batu Jongjong Village, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Data collection through structured interviews, field observations, and focus group discussions involving 40 respondents. They were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman's rank correlation tests, based on the variables of gender, age, and education level. The mean value of community participation based on Likert scale was highest in elephant patrol and driving activities (4), followed by the adoption of alternative crops (3.95), modified farming practices (3.85), land allocation for HEC mitigation (3.85), financial contributions (3.77), and the use of land for wildlife corridors (3.6). Educational attainment was positively associated with respondents' knowledge of HEC mitigation, whereas age showed a significant negative relationship with community participation. These findings demonstrate that successful HEC mitigation requires integrating conservation education, technical assistance, and collaborative community-based management to strengthen community participation and improve human–elephant conflict mitigation programs.
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