Keeping ecological resilience afloat in cross-scale turbulence: an indigenous social movement navigates change in Indonesia

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511541957.018

12 - Keeping ecological resilience afloat in cross-scale turbulence: an indigenous social movement navigates change in Indonesia

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 August 2009

John Bamba ,

Ita Natalia and

Edited by

Johan Colding and

Janis B. Alcorn: Affiliation:
World Resources Institute, Institutions and Governance Program, c/o 3508 Woodbine Street, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
John Bamba: Affiliation:
Institut Dayakologi, Jalan Budi Utomo, Block A3 No. 4, Pontianak 78241, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Stefanus Masiun: Affiliation:
Jl. Boedi Utomo, Blk A-III/5, Komp. Bumi Indah Khatulistiwa, Pontianak, 78241, Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia
Ita Natalia: Affiliation:
KpSHK (Consortium for Supporting Community Based Forest System Management) – NTFP Focal Point. Jl. Citarum Blok B X/23, Bogor Baru, Bogor 16152, Indonesia
Antoinette G. Royo: Affiliation:
The BSP-KEMALA, Ratu Plaza–17th Floor, Jalan Sudirman 9, Jakarta 10270, Indonesia
Fikret Berkes: Affiliation:
University of Manitoba, Canada
Johan Colding: Affiliation:
Beijer International Institute of Ecological Economics, Stockholm
Carl Folke: Affiliation:
Beijer International Institute of Ecological Economics, Stockholm

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Summary

Introduction

A resilient ecosystem is one that will retain the ability to reorganize and renew itself without loss of function or diversity when disturbed, if disturbance is managed adaptively (Holling, 1992) – i.e., if management keeps disturbance within certain bounds and/or management is prepared to react to unexpected disturbance in ways that sustain resilience.

Safeguarding resilience requires appropriate management decisions by people using their society's cultural norms and institutions at different (small and large) scales. Conflict between these scales sometimes leads to clashing management decisions, and subsequently an erosion of resilience. Over time, changes in social and political conditions as well as population sizes, technologies, incentives, and values can also result in this erosion unless societies recognize and respond to negative ecological feedback by modifying their management institutions. Changes also create conflict amongst different management levels (national, regional, and local) and/or between social groups; these conflicts can only be resolved through political action. Making responsive management regime adjustments in time to avert damage is not easy, however. Cross-scale conflict between national and local institutions creates turbulence, and so does political change, often holding ecological resilience hostage. A better understanding of effective social movements that promote positive changes in response to ecological feedback is fundamental for understanding and maintaining the resilience of Earth's ecosystems.

Our case study of the Dayak people's social movement in Indonesia offers insights into how the erosion of ecological resilience can be countered by social renewal.

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Type: Chapter
Information: Navigating Social-Ecological Systems
Building Resilience for Complexity and Change
, pp. 299 - 327

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511541957.018 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2002

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