As we all know, Indonesia is currently aggressively developing its economy. This is especially true after  the World Bank  and the International Monetary Fund  predicted that the global economy would enter a recession at the end of 2020, with economic growth declining to negative 2.8%, a 6% decrease from the previous period. Indonesia's economic growth rate also continued to decline to negative 0.09%, primarily due to a decline in the tourism and trade sectors due to the Covid-19 pandemic (Nasution et al., 2020).

The government responded to this prediction through policies that had the potential to increase investment in Indonesia, one of which was Law No. 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation. Unfortunately, these policies were deemed to primarily benefit investors and tend to sacrifice environmental sustainability. Forests then became the primary stake in facilitating investment activities. This is because, historically, investment activities such as plantations and mining have often sacrificed forests as  a trade-off  for economic development.

Until now, many people have considered forests to have significant environmental functions, but these are not commensurate with the cost burden ( cost center ) incurred. However, upon closer examination, forests essentially provide environmental services that not only function as a life support system but also can be optimized to support the Indonesian economy. Forest environmental services such as provisioning, regulating (climate, water, and soil regulation), cultural (education and recreation), and supporting (primary production and nutrient cycling) can be utilized economically, of course with sustainable management.

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Economically optimizing forest environmental services can protect forests from deforestation, as they provide sufficient revenue for the state and communities, rather than simply being a cost burden, as has traditionally been perceived. This optimization can be achieved through ecotourism schemes and the trade of environmental services without eliminating any elements of the forest ecosystem itself.

Optimizing Cultural Environmental Services Through Forest Therapy Ecotourism

Forest therapy ecotourism,   as part of forest environmental services, falls under the cultural category and could be an idea to support the Indonesian economy. This ecotourism aims to restore health and boost immunity for visitors, both physically and psychologically. This has great potential for development in the new normal era, as many people are experiencing stress, particularly psychologically, due to  Work From Home  (WFH) policies or quarantine during the Covid-19 pandemic. Research by Brooks et al. (2020) shows that Covid-19 has caused symptoms of post-traumatic stress, confusion, anger, fear of infection, frustration, and so on in the community.

Forests have been proven to have physical and psychological therapeutic functions. The concept of forests as a therapeutic tool has been developed since the 1990s (Williams, 1998). In various countries such as the United States, South Korea, and Japan, this activity is widely practiced (Rajoo et al., 2020). In Japan, this activity is referred to as "Shinrin-yoku" (Kotera & Rhodes, 2020). Shinrin-yoku has been widely used in the clinical field, for the treatment of several types of diseases. Meanwhile, in South Korea, forest therapy has been legally defined by law as an immune-boosting and health-promoting activity that utilizes various forest elements (Jung et al., 2015). Unfortunately, in Indonesia, this activity has not yet received attention.

Various studies have been conducted to examine the effects of forests on improving human health. Research by Byeongsang (2017) shows that being in a forest can boost the immune system, improve cardiovascular health, improve pain relief, boost the immune system, increase the production of anti-cancer proteins, reduce depression and anxiety, provide mental relaxation, improve concentration and memory, increase happiness, and even help someone recover from addiction. Rajoo et al. (2020) demonstrated that a 9-day forest program has been proven effective in curing someone from alcohol addiction.

Improved health, immune system, healing facilities, and stress relief can be added value that sell this ecotourism activity. Forest therapy activities are not like regular ecotourism; instead, several special provisions are required to support the forest's therapeutic function. These include designating specific spots for therapeutic purposes, creating therapy trails, limiting the number of visitors, providing health measuring devices such as sphygmomanometers, and offering several special natural therapy packages. These packages have different prices, determined by the type of activity. For example, a package for improving psychological health and treating mild stress, which involves three hours of activities at the therapy spot and meditation, costs around Rp 25,000 per visit. Meanwhile, a package for curing addictions, which lasts for nine consecutive days, costs up to Rp 200,000.

With the establishment of this ecotourism activity, forest-based economic development will not only benefit the economic and ecological aspects alone, but can also benefit the social aspect because ecotourism activities in the forest will involve many communities around the forest area in its management. The community can be developed to participate in it, for example by becoming a guide therapist, as a spot guard, or simply manning the counter and selling herbal medicine or NTFPs in front of the ecotourism area. This activity can answer the three elements of sustainable development, namely increasing the economy while maintaining ecological aspects while improving the social aspects of the lives of communities around the forest area. This activity can also answer the four points of the SDGs, namely point 8 ( decent work and economic growth ), point 10 ( reduced inequalities ), point 13 ( climate action ), and point 15 ( life on land ).

Optimizing Environmental Services Regulating (climate regulation) Through Carbon Trading Schemes

In addition to ecotourism schemes, optimizing forest environmental services without eliminating any elements of the ecosystem can also be done through optimizing environmental services through regulating carbon trading schemes. In Presidential Regulation No. 46 of 2008 concerning the National Council on Climate Change, carbon trading is defined as the buying and selling of carbon emission reduction certificates from climate change mitigation activities. Carbon trading systems are divided into two types: cap-and-trade and crediting. In Indonesia, the crediting system is more commonly used. In this system, the traded commodity is emission reductions that have been certified based on the terms and conditions applicable in the global carbon market (Purnomo, 2013).

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In Indonesia, carbon trading has not been a priority for the government or rights holders due to the complex certification mechanism. However, it could be a consideration for improving the Indonesian economy due to the significant long-term benefits that can be obtained after forest certification. The carbon trading scheme commonly used in Indonesia currently is through crediting from REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation), which has accommodated various bilateral carbon crediting collaborations between Indonesia and other countries such as Australia and Norway (CIFOR, 2010). Unfortunately, REDD+ only accommodates a few forests on the island of Kalimantan and a few on the island of Sumatra in its project scheme, as well as Meru Betiri National Park (TNMB), the only forest area in Java whose carbon storage is assessed.

REDD+, which can pay for forest carbon savings of US$5/ton CO2-e to US$10/ton CO2-e, has also succeeded in increasing the income of communities around forest areas through community empowerment activities. Reported by Mongabay, the REDD+ project in TNMB has succeeded in increasing the income of communities around the conservation area from an average of Rp1,500,000 per year in 2008 to more than Rp3,500,000 in 2014. Therefore, this project also plays a significant role in sustainable development.

The idea of ​​carbon trading isn't new; it's simply one that's often overlooked by the government. Yet, without converting forests, the economy can be maintained through this carbon trading scheme. While the results aren't as significant as selling land to investors for palm oil plantations or mining, this initiative can ensure ecosystem preservation for the long-term economy and the prosperity of communities surrounding forest areas. Therefore, the government needs to reaffirm the existence of this scheme and its role in sustainable development. Concrete action is needed to encourage the government to prioritize the carbon trading program.

Optimization of Other Environmental Services

Other environmental services, such as provisioning, can have their economic value optimized by developing Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), such as forest honey, sap or resin, rattan, essential oils, and so on. These businesses can be developed by communities surrounding forest areas to boost their economy. By maintaining the three functions of environmental services—cultural, regulating, and provisioning—supporting environmental services can maintain their function as a life support system.

Ultimately, we still hope the government will implement the ideas presented as part of a deforestation-free economic development process. However, as environmental advocates, we can still advocate for deforestation-free economic development through the ideas we generate and disseminate to as many people as possible. Social media is the easiest way to do this. With more environmentally conscious and creative people, the fight for sustainable development without harming anyone can be easily realized.

By: Hasna Afifah

Students of Bandung Institute of Technology

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brooks, S., Amlôt, R., Rubin, G. J., & Greenberg, N. (2020). Psychological resilience and post-traumatic growth in disaster-exposed organizations: overview of the literature. BMJ Mil Health, 166(1), 52-56.

Byeongsang, Oh, Kyung Ju Lee, Chris Zaslawski, Albert Yeung, David Rosenthal, Linda Larkey, and Michael Back. (2017). Health and well-being benefits of spending time in forests: systematic review. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 22(1), 71.

CIFOR. (2010). REDD: What is it? CIFOR's guide to forests, climate change and REDD. Bogor, Indonesia: CIFOR.

Jung, W.H., Woo, J.M., Ryu, J.S. (2015). Effects of forest therapy program and the forest environment on female workers' stress. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 14, 274–281.

Kotera, Y., & Rhodes, C. (2020). Commentary: Suggesting Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) for treating addiction. Addictive Behaviors, 111, 106556.

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Purnomo, Agus. 2013. Let's Trade Carbon! An Introduction to Carbon Markets for Climate Change Control. Jakarta: National Council on Climate Change.

Rajoo, KS, Karam, DS, Wook, NF, & Abdullah, MZ (2020). Forest Therapy: An environmental approach to managing stress in middle-aged working women. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 55, 126853.

Williams A. (1998). Therapeutic landscapes in holistic medicine. Soc Sci Med. 46(9), 1193–203.