Research Project

Karst ecosystems possess distinctive, unique, and specific natural resources that are not found in other ecological systems. These ecosystems play a vital role in supporting the livelihoods and cultural practices of surrounding communities. In South Sulawesi Province, such as the karst region within the Bantimurung Bulusaraung Ma’rupanne Biosphere Reserve, the interrelationship between humans and the karst environment has existed for thousands of years. This long-standing interaction has given rise to a wealth of local knowledge related to the management and sustainable use of natural resources in karst areas.

However, to date, there is a lack of comprehensive scientific documentation regarding this local knowledge. Such information is crucial as a foundational database for sustainable karst ecosystem management and as a reference for policy formulation aimed at the preservation of these essential ecological areas.

This exploratory research aims to:
(1) collect data and information related to local knowledge (ethnobiology, ethnobotany, ethnoecology, and ethnoforestry) of communities residing near karst landscapes in South Sulawesi, and
(2) assemble scientific collections of various types of natural resources utilized by these communities.

Data collection on local knowledge and the types of natural resources used will be conducted through surveys, direct observation, and interviews. To assess the availability of these resources in their natural habitats, appropriate methods will be applied according to each taxon, including:

• Quadrant line methods for plant data,

• Line transects for mammals,

• Point count methods for birds,

• Pollard walk transects and traps for insects.

Interview data will be analyzed descriptively. Ecological data on resource availability in natural habitats will be analyzed to determine density values, importance value indices, biodiversity indices, dominance indices, and species evenness indices.

The final output of this research is expected to serve as a scientific database and reference for the sustainable management of karst natural resources, as well as a basis for community-based policy development for the conservation of essential karst ecosystems.

Global, regional, and local climate change each exhibit distinct phenomenological characteristics. Consequently, their impacts on the horticultural sector, as well as the ecological adaptation patterns employed by farmers in response to these changes, are presumed to vary accordingly. This study aims to examine tropical climate change in South Sulawesi and analyze its effects on horticultural agriculture, particularly within the horticultural development center located in Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi. Furthermore, the research explores how horticultural farmers adapt ecologically to the impacts of tropical climate change.

This study adopts a constructivist interpretive framework rooted in the case study tradition. The research begins with the purposive selection of the study location, the development of research instruments, the identification of data types and sources, and the determination of key informants using a snowball sampling technique. Data collection is carried out through a comprehensive approach, employing observation, in-depth interviews, documentation, and triangulation. Data analysis follows an integrated process consisting of data collection, data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing.

The study concludes with a data validity check, involving credibility and reliability testing to ensure the accuracy and trustworthiness of the findings.

This research stems from the issue that the Maspul (Massenrempulu) people in Enrekang Regency remain relatively unknown and unrecognized as one of the ethnic groups in South Sulawesi, despite various anthropological, historical, and linguistic sources affirming their status as an ethnic group with a distinctive culture. Remarkably, several studies have revealed the richness of traditional institutions maintained and practiced by the numerous customary communities of the Maspul. This raises a key question: what roles do these traditional institutions play in sustaining the cultural systems that have been preserved over time?

The long-term goal of this study is to enhance community welfare and promote productive, sustainable, and equitable forest management. The short-term objectives are:

1. To identify the existing traditional institutions that persist among the three Maspul subethnic groups (Enrekang, Duri, and Maiwa);

2. To analyze the structure and roles of these traditional institutions in operating local socio-cultural systems to manage socio-economic and forest resources in a productive, sustainable, and just manner; and

3. To formulate programmatic ideas for improving welfare and achieving environmental justice through the synergy between local institutional functions and theoretical frameworks on institutional development.

The mandatory outputs of this research include a publication in a Scopus-indexed international journal and an ethnographic book (as a teaching resource), both of which are currently in the submission and editing process, respectively.

The research was conducted in three customary communities of the Maspul ethnic group in South Sulawesi, Indonesia: Kaluppini (Enrekang subethnic group), Orong, and Marena (both belonging to the Duri subethnic group). For comparative purposes, in-depth interviews and observations were also conducted in eight other customary communities: Patongloan, Uru, and Batunoni (Duri subethnic group); Bambapuang (a mixed community of Duri and Enrekang subethnic groups); and four communities within the Maiwa subethnic group (Pasang, Limbuang, Matajang, Tapong), all of which share relatively similar institutional structures and roles.

This study adopts an ethnographic method and a qualitative approach, using data collection techniques such as in-depth interviews, systematic direct observations, secondary data collection, complemented by focus group discussions (FGDs) and data analysis. By applying key concepts including customary communities, traditional institutions, institutional roles, the operation of customary systems, and the productive, equitable, and sustainable management of customary land and forest resources—as well as a holistic definition of welfare—the positive roles of the three traditional institutions (Tau Aqpaq Kaluppini, Malepongna Bawangna Orong, and Sianene Marena) are analyzed in accordance with the research objectives. These institutions have been found to contribute positively to strengthening communal life, managing ancestral rice fields, and sustaining both the productive and protective functions of customary forests.