Traditional Rubber Agroforests in Jambi Indonesia - where conservation and human livelihood converge

Abstract

Like many places in Indonesia, Bungo District is experiencing massive deforestation, the “mega-biodiversity” in the area is fast disappearing. The species rich traditional rubber agroforests or ‘jungle rubber’ are now important reservoirs for biodiversity and habitat conservation. Millions of people also depend on these agroforests for their daily income, nutrition, firewood, timber and other (agro)forest products. However, farmers regard their rubber agroforests as a second best management system, after the more intensive monoculture system they would adopt if they had the resources. Rubber agroforests also represent a second-best biodiversity option, after natural forests. Jungle rubber has similar richness and diversity to natural forest, but a much higher proportion of rubber and other economically valuable plants. Available data indicate that rubber agroforests sequesters more carbon than rubber monocultures. Hydrological principles suggest that rubber agroforests can better handle watershed services than monocultures. These make jungle a potential system for bundling environmental services, i.e. biodiversity, water and carbon, for PES (Payment for Environmental Services) schemes