IMPACT OF MANGROVE REHABILITION ON COMMUNITY INCOME AT LUBUK KERTANG VILLAGE

Abstract

Extensive mangrove forest scattered on several islands in Indonesia amounted to
4,251,011 hectares. However, more than half the total area of mangrove forests that have
turned out in a badly damaged condition. The mangrove forests of North Sumatra province
located along the east coast with extensive of 199,478.32 hectares. Langkat has the most
extensive mangrove area ie 50,650.93 ha, but since 2006 the mangrove forest has been
converted into oil palm plantations. Economically natural resources is the source of income is
reduced because it will be decreasing livelihoods of fishermen in six villages.
The aims of research was to determine of mangrove forests condition, and how
mangrove rehabilitation impacts on the income of traditional fishing communities, specially
on village of Lubuk Kertang Langkat District of West Brandan. This research is descriptive
and the population in this study is the whole area of mangrove forest in the Lubuk Kertangs
village as many 170 KK of fishermen. The number of samples with as many as 62 kk with
slovin techniques. Data analysis technique used is the comparative analyses.
The results that: (1). The mangrove forests in the village of Lubuk Kertang with extensive
damage reached 740 ha (61.67%) from the total 1200 ha of existing. Severe damage of
mangrove forest of 528 ha (71.35%). (2). The destruction of mangrove forests negative
impact on fishermen's income, with significant values of 0.020 <0.05. It is claimed that there
is a correlation between before and after the rehabilitation of mangrove forests. Before
damage occurs fishing communities adequate income to make ends meet, but after the
damage occurred a huge decline of incomes.