From Timber-Oriented Forest To Multi-Business Forestry: Lesson From Indonesian Collaborative Forest Governance

Abstract

This study investigates Indonesia’s transition from a timber-oriented forest regime to a multi-business forestry (Mb-F) framework through the lens of collaborative governance. Centered on Riau Province, the research explores how collaborative governance mechanisms comprising multi-stakeholder engagement, institutional adaptation, and normative transformation facilitate the diversification of forest use beyond timber to include non-timber products, ecotourism, agroforestry, and conservation. Employing a qualitative, multiple-case approach and guided by Agrawal’s concept of environmental subject formation and Bryson et al.’s collaborative governance theory, this study reveals that the Mb-F initiative redefines local actors from passive beneficiaries to active co-managers. Despite increased inclusivity, the implementation faces persistent challenges: regulatory fragmentation, elite dominance, and latent resistance among indigenous groups. These findings underscore that collaboration is not inherently equitable; it must be intentionally designed and iteratively adapted. This research contributes a novel analytical framework blending ecological subjectivity with governance dynamics, offering critical insights for forest policy reforms in other decentralized and ecologically complex contexts. The Indonesian Mb-F experience serves as a model for integrating socio-economic equity and environmental sustainability through pluralistic governance.