Legal, Governmental, and Developmental Perspectives on the Governance of the Raden Anom Customary Forest

Abstract

This study examines the transformation of customary forest governance in Indonesia following the enactment of the Job Creation Law (Undang-Undang Cipta Kerja), with a specific focus on the customary forest of Raden Anom Village, Sarolangun Regency, Jambi. It explores how legal reforms have affected institutional authority, community participation, and environmental management. Employing a juridical-empirical approach, the research integrates statutory analysis with a case study based on legal documents, court decisions, and in-depth interviews with customary leaders, village officials, and local stakeholders. Findings reveal a governance shift from local wisdom–based conservation toward investment-oriented management, as centralized licensing reduces regional autonomy and subordinates customary law to state law. Customary institutions have adopted adaptive strategies by integrating customary norms into official village documents, establishing forestry units, and fostering cross-institutional collaborations. However, these strategies face constraints due to limited legal capacity, economic pressures, and uniform regulations. Such conditions impact environmental integrity, social cohesion, and economic equity, with the risk of a tragedy of the commons when community-based monitoring mechanisms weaken. The study underscores that effective reform requires harmonizing national legal instruments with local governance mechanisms and implementing polycentric governance principles to balance ecological sustainability with economic development. Policy recommendations include revising implementing regulations to restore local autonomy, ensuring consistent application of free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), and strengthening institutional capacity through targeted technical and resource support.