Keywords
research hotspots
research trends
social forestry
How to Cite
Abstract
Social forestry in Indonesia is a topic that has been extensively researched due to the active role of communities, especially those living in and around forest areas, in managing the country's forest resources. This is supported by various regulations that provide certainty regarding the rights and access of communities in forest management activities. However, systematic and quantitative research related to the development of social forestry research in Indonesia has not been widely conducted. Therefore, this study was conducted using a scientometric analysis using 1,662 articles from Web of Science. Data analysis was performed using CiteSpace to (i) examine the publication landscape to present the actual condition of scholarly output on social forestry; (ii) map patterns of collaboration to capture the relationships among researchers and institutions; (iii) identify fundamental and pioneering studies; and (iv) trace the evolution, hotspots, and emerging research trends. This research found that the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) got the first rank in the institutional collaboration. In the author collaboration analysis, Ahmad Maryudi has the highest ranked of social forestry topic in Indonesia. The results of the study also show several keywords that are most frequently used by various researchers, namely conservation, management, forest, biodiversity, and community. Overall, this research results would help the new researchers quickly understand developments in social forestry research and fill the existing gaps. Moreover, senior researchers and policymakers can use the integrated research trend information to develop adaptive and inclusive social forestry models that provide ecological and economic benefits.
References
Agrawal, A. (2003). Sustainable governance of common-pool resources: Context, methods, and politics. Annual Review of Anthropology, 32, 243–262. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.anthro.32.061002.093112
Anugrah, D., Muin, A. V. F., Irlan, I., Tomasina, M. A., Azila, N., Sirimorok, N., Dungga, N. E., & Alam, S. (2022). Injustice against women in a social forestry program: Case studies from two Indonesian villages. Forest and Society, 6(2), 723–741. https://doi.org/10.24259/fs.v6i2.20006
Barkmann, J., Burkard, G., Faust, H., Fremerey, M., Koch, S., & Lanini, A. (2010). Land tenure rights, village institutions, and rainforest conversion in Central Sulawesi (Indonesia). In T. Tscharntke, C. Leuschner, E. Veldkamp, H. Faust, E. Guhardja, & A. Bidin (Eds.) Tropical rainforests and agroforests under global change: Ecological and socio-economic valuations (pp. 141–160). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00493-3_6
Bera, M., & Nag, P. K. (2025). Integrated natural resource management and sustainable livelihoods: A review of ecosystem-based approaches for sustainability and community resilience. Agricultural & Rural Studies, 3(3), 23.
https://doi.org/10.59978/ar03030017
Budiadi, Irwan, S. N. R., Lestari, L. D., Madjid, M. I. N., Arifin, H. S., Nurhayati, Kaswanto, Faisal, B., Dahlan, M. Z., Nadhiroh, S. R., Wahyuni, T. S., & Ali, M. S. (2025). Biodiversity, social adoptability, and preference toward managing medicinal plants in homegardens across elevations in the Menoreh Mountains, Kulonprogo District, Indonesia. Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity, 26(3), 1316–1324. https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d260331
Chen, C. (2006). CiteSpace II: Detecting and visualizing emerging trends and transient patterns in scientific literature. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 57(3), 359–377.
https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.20317
Chen, C. (2016). CiteSpace: A practical guide for mapping scientific literature. Nova Science Publishers.
Chen, C., Hu, Z., Liu, S., & Tseng, H. (2012). Emerging trends in regenerative medicine: A scientometric analysis in CiteSpace. Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy, 12(5), 593–608. https://doi.org/10.1517/14712598.2012.674507
Center for International Forestry Research. (2017). CIFOR and IPB renew their commitment to Indonesian forests, science and development. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from https://www.cifor.org/press-release/cifor-and-ipb-renew-their-commitment-to-indonesian-forests-science-and-development/
De Frenne, P., Lenoir, J., Luoto, M., Scheffers, B. R., Zellweger, F., Aalto, J., Ashcroft, M. B., Christiansen, D. M., Decocq, G., De Pauw, K., Govaert, S., Greiser, C., Gril, E., Hampe, A., Jucker, T., Klinges, D. H., Koelemeijer, I. A., Lembrechts, J. J., Marrec, R., … Hylander, K. (2021). Forest microclimates and climate change: Importance, drivers and future research agenda. Global Change Biology, 27(11), 2279–2297. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15569
De Jong, W., Pokorny, B., Katila, P., Galloway, G., & Pacheco, P. (2018). Community forestry and the sustainable development goals: A two-way street. Forests, 9(6), 331. https://doi.org/10.3390/f9060331
De Royer, S., Van Noordwijk, M., & Roshetko, J. M. (2018). Does community-based forest management in Indonesia devolve social justice or social costs? International Forestry Review, 20(2), 167–180. https://doi.org/10.1505/146554818823767609
Fang, Y., Yin, J., & Wu, B. (2018). Climate change and tourism: A scientometric analysis using CiteSpace. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 26(1), 108–126. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2017.1329310
Farooqi, T. J. A., Portela, R., Xu, Z., Pan, S., Irfan, M., & Ali, A. (2024). Advancing forest hydrological research: Exploring global research trends and future directions through scientometric analysis. Journal of Forestry Research, 35, 128.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-024-01771-1
Fisher, M. R, Dhiaulhaq, A., & Sahide, M. A. K. (2019). The politics, economies, and ecologies of Indonesia’s third generation of social forestry: An introduction to the special section. Forest and Society, 3(1), 152–170.
https://doi.org/10.24259/fs.v3i1.6348
Fisher, M. R., Moeliono, M., Mulyana, A., Yuliani, E. L., Adriadi, A., Kamaluddin, Judda, J., & Sahide, M. A. K. (2018). Assessing the new social forestry project in Indonesia: Recognition, livelihood and conservation?. International Forestry Review, 20(3), 346–361. https://doi.org/10.1505/146554818824063014
Fujiwara, T., Septiana, R. M., Awang, S. A., Widayanti, W. T., Bariatul, H., Hyakumura, K., & Sato, N. (2012). Changes in local social economy and forest management through the introduction of collaborative forest management (PHBM), and the challenges it poses on equitable partnership: A case study of KPH Pemalang, Central Java, Indonesia. Tropics, 20(4), 115–134. https://doi.org/10.3759/tropics.20.115
Geng, Y., & Maimaituerxun, M. (2022). Research progress of green marketing in sustainable consumption based on CiteSpace analysis. Sage Open, 12(3), 21582440221119835. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221119835
Geng, Y., Zhang, X., Gao, J., Yan, Y., & Chen, L. (2024). Bibliometric analysis of sustainable tourism using CiteSpace. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 202, 123310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2024.123310
Gilmour, D. (2016). Forty years of community-based forestry: A review of its extent and effectiveness. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5415e.pdf
Gunawan, H., Yeny, I., Karlina, E., Suharti, S., Murniati, Subarudi, Mulyanto, B., Ekawati, S., Garsetiasih, R., Pratiwi, Sumirat, B. K., Sawitri, R., Heriyanto, N. M., Takandjandji, M., Widarti, A., Surati, Desmiwati, Kalima, T., Effendi, R., ... Nurlia, A. (2022). Integrating social forestry and biodiversity conservation in Indonesia. Forests, 13(12), 2152. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13122152
Harada, K., & Wiyono. (2014). Certification of a community-based forest enterprise for improving institutional management and household income: A case from Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Small-scale Forestry, 13, 47–64.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-013-9240-8
Huang, L., Zhou, M., Lv, J., & Chen, K. (2020). Trends in global research in forest carbon sequestration: A bibliometric analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 252, 119908. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119908
Hu, Y., Mo, Z., Chen, T., Zou, Y., Ma, Y., & Ma, X. (2025). The power of forests: A study on the spatio-temporal patterns of China’s forestry carbon sinks from the perspective of GIS-LCA technology. Agricultural & Rural Studies, 3(3), 17. https://doi.org/10.59978/ar03030013
Iriyani, S., Hamid, A. H., Setyarso, A., & Basri, H. (2020). Towards the implementation of social forestry policy in Aceh Province, Indonesia: Process and institutional assessment. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 28(4), 2689–2710. https://doi.org/10.47836/pjssh.28.4.11
Kompas. (2025). Luas perhutanan sosial Indonesia bisa ditingkatkan jadi 15 juta hektar [The area of social forestry in Indonesia can be increased to 15 million hectares]. Retrieved September 1, 2025, from https://lestari.kompas.com/read/2025/03/16/190000586/luas-perhutanan-sosial-indonesia-bisaditingkatkan-jadi-15-juta-hektar
Li, J., & Chen, C. (2016). CiteSpace: Text mining and visualization in scientific literature. Capital University of Economics and Business Press.
Lin, H., Zhu, Y., Sun, Z., Wu, P., & Zhang, J. (2025). Bibliometric evaluation of global research on eco-tourism. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 27, 6103–6122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-04119-7
Madjid, M. I. N., Marhaento, H., Permadi, D. B., Susanti, A., Budiadi, Riyanto, S., Imron, M. A., Ardiansyah, F., Ridho, D., Nissauqodry, S. V., Susanto, M. G., Cahyani, A. P., Irawan, B., & Yanarita. (2023). Potential adoption of oil palm agroforestry in Sungai Jernih Village, Jambi, Indonesia. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1145, 012001. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1145/1/012001
Madjid, M. I. N., Rahmadwiati, R., Wicaksono, R. L., & Apriyanto, D. (2025). The role of Indonesia’s forest area with special purpose in supporting sustainable development goals. Research in Ecology, 7(2), 179–191.
https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v7i2.9218
Malik, I., & Mawaddah, R. (2019). Jelajah Kisah Perhutanan Sosial; Perjuangan Akses dan Gerak Ekonomi dari Hutan Sulawesi [Exploring social forestry stories: The struggle for access and economic movement from the forests of Sulawesi]. Sulawesi Community Foundation. https://scf.or.id/jelajah-kisah-perhutanan-sosial-perjuangan-akses-dan-gerak-ekonomi-dari-hutan-sulawesi/
Maring, P. (2022). Conflict transformation and collaboration in developing social forestry in Flores, Indonesia. Forest and Society, 6(1), 40–66. https://doi.org/10.24259/fs.v6i1.13199
Maryudi, A., Sahide, M. A. K., Daulay, M. H., Yuniati, D., Syafitri, W., Sadiyo, S., & Fisher, M. R. (2022). Holding social forestry hostage in Indonesia: Contested bureaucracy mandates and potential escape pathways. Environmental Science & Policy, 128, 142–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2021.11.013.
Ministry of Forestry. (2025). Menhut: 8,4 Juta Hektare Telah Diberikan ke Masyarakat Untuk Perhutanan Sosial [Minister of Forestry: 8.4 million hectares have been allocated to the public for social forestry]. Retrieved September 18, 2025, from https://www.kehutanan.go.id/news/menhut-8-4-juta-hektare-telah-diberikan-ke-masyarakat-untuk-perhutanan-sosial
Mulyoutami, E., Rismawan, R., & Joshi, L. (2009). Local knowledge and management of simpukng (forest gardens) among the Dayak people in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Forest Ecology and Management, 257(10), 2054–2061.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2009.01.042
Myers, R., Intarini, D., Sirait, M. T., & Maryudi, A. (2017). Claiming the forest: Inclusions and exclusions under Indonesia’s ‘new’forest policies on customary forests. Land Use Policy, 66, 205–213.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.04.039
Nikmatullah, M., Renjana, E., Rachmawan, D., Siburian, R., Sundary, L. V., Hidayat, H., & Rahayu, M. (2024). Use of medicinal plants among the customary law forest communities in Jambi, Indonesia. Acta Botanica Brasilica, 38, e20230250.
Octavia, D., Suharti, S., Murniati, Dharmawan, I. W. S., Nugroho, H. Y. S. H., Supriyanto, B., Rohadi, D., Njurumana, G. N., Yeny, I., Hani, A., Mindawati, N., Suratman, Adalina, Y., Prameswari, D., Hadi, E. E. W., & Ekawati, S. (2022). Mainstreaming smart agroforestry for social forestry implementation to support sustainable development goals in Indonesia: A review. Sustainability, 14(15), 9313. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159313
Olawumi, T. O., & Chan, D. W. M. (2018). A scientometric review of global research on sustainability and sustainable development. Journal of Cleaner Production, 183, 231–250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.02.162
Ostrom, E. (1999). Coping with tragedies of the commons. Annual Review of Political Science, 2, 493–535. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.polisci.2.1.493
Padmanaba, M., & Sheil, D. (2007). Finding and promoting a local conservation consensus in a globally important tropical forest landscape. Biodiversity and Conservation, 16, 137–151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-006-9009-x
Pambudi, A. S. (2020). The development of social forestry in Indonesia: Policy implementation review, 2007–2019. The Journal of Indonesia Sustainable Development Planning, 1(1), 57–66. https://doi.org/10.46456/jisdep.v1i1.11
Pautasso, M. (2016). Scientometrics of forest health and tree diseases: An overview. Forests, 7(1), 17.
https://doi.org/10.3390/f7010017
Prasetyo, L. B., Damayanti, E. K., & Masuda, M. (2012). Land cover changes before and after implementation of the PHBM program in Kuningan District, West Java, Indonesia. Tropics, 21(2), 47–58.
https://doi.org/10.3759/tropics.21.47
Putraditama, A., Kim, Y.-S., & Baral, H. (2021). Where to put community-based forestry?: Reconciling conservation and livelihood in Lampung, Indonesia. Trees, Forests and People, 4, 100062.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tfp.2021.100062
Race, D., & Sumirat, B. (2015). Exploring the implications of social inequalities in community forestry: Emerging lessons from two forests in Indonesia. International Journal of Sustainable Development, 18(3), 211–228.
https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSD.2015.070233
Rahayu, S., Laraswati, D., Pratama, A. A., Sahide, M. A. K., Permadi, D. B., Wibowo, W., Widyaningsih, T. S., Suprapto, E., Andayani, W., & Maryudi, A. (2020). Bureaucratizing non-government organizations as governmental forest extension services in social forestry policy in Indonesia. Forests, Trees and Livelihoods, 29(2), 119–129.
https://doi.org/10.1080/14728028.2020.1753585
Rahayu, S., Sakuntaladewi, N., Sumirat, B. K., Widyaningsih, T. S., Yusnikusumah, T. R., Muin, N., & Bisjoe, A. R. H. (2024). The role of local governments in supporting social forestry implementation in Indonesia: A social network analysis and evidence from Eastern Indonesia. Forest and Society, 8(1), 154–178. https://doi.org/10.24259/fs.v8i1.28524
Rakatama, A., & Pandit, R. (2020). Reviewing social forestry schemes in Indonesia: Opportunities and challenges. Forest Policy and Economics, 111, 102052. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2019.102052
Ramadhan, R., Dhavio, M., Hanafi, R., Daulay, M. H., & Prakosa, G. G. (2023). Transformation of forest governance: Policy concepts and actor changes in social forestry program implementation in Indonesia. International Forestry Review, 25(1), 92–104. https://doi.org/10.1505/146554823836838673
Richardson, K., Steffen, W., Lucht, W., Bendtsen, J., Cornell, S. E., Donges, J. F., Drüke, M., Fetzer, I., Bala, G., von Bloh, W., Feulner, G., Fiedler, S., Gerten, D., Gleeson, T., Hofmann, M., Huiskamp, W., Kummu, M., Mohan, C., Nogués-Bravo, D., … Rockström, J. (2023). Earth beyond six of nine planetary boundaries. Science Advances, 9(37), eadh2458.
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adh2458
Rochmayanto, Y., Nurrochmat, D. R., Locke, C., Casse, T., Nugroho, B., & Darusman, D. (2022). Evaluating the “village forests” in Indonesia: Property rights and sustainability perspectives. Small-scale Forestry, 21, 461–481.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-022-09506-y
Sahide, M. A. K., Fisher, M. R., Maryudi, A., Dhiaulhaq, A., Wulandari, C., Kim, Y.-S., & Giessen, L. (2018). Deadlock opportunism in contesting conservation areas in Indonesia. Land Use Policy, 77, 412–424.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2018.05.020
Sahide, M. A. K., Fisher, M. R., Erbaugh, J. T., Intarini, D., Dharmiasih, W., Makmur, M., Faturachmat, F., Verheijen, B., & Maryudi, A. (2020). The boom of social forestry policy and the bust of social forests in Indonesia: Developing and applying an access-exclusion framework to assess policy outcomes. Forest Policy and Economics, 120, 102290.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2020.102290
Sahide, M. A. K., & Giessen, L. (2015). The fragmented land use administration in Indonesia – Analysing bureaucratic responsibilities influencing tropical rainforest transformation systems. Land Use Policy, 43, 96–110.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2014.11.005
Sahide, M. A. K., Supratman, S., Maryudi, A., Kim, Y.-S., & Giessen, L. (2016). Decentralisation policy as recentralisation strategy: Forest management units and community forestry in Indonesia. International Forestry Review, 18(1), 78–95. https://doi.org/10.1505/146554816818206168
Santika, T., Meijaard, E., Budiharta, S., Law, E. A., Kusworo, A., Hutabarat, J. A., Indrawan, T. P., Struebig, M., Raharjo, S., Huda, I., Sulhani, Ekaputri, A. D., Trison, S., Stigner, M., & Wilson, K. A. (2017). Community forest management in Indonesia: Avoided deforestation in the context of anthropogenic and climate complexities. Global Environmental Change, 46, 60–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2017.08.002
Schusser, C., Krott, M., Movuh, M. C. Y., Logmani, J., Devkota, R. R., Maryudi, A., & Salla, M. (2016). Comparing community forestry actors in Cameroon, Indonesia, Namibia, Nepal and Germany. Forest Policy and Economics, 68, 81–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2016.03.001
Shao, H., Kim, G., Li, Q., & Newman, G. (2021). Web of science-based green infrastructure: A bibliometric analysis in CiteSpace. Land, 10(7), 711. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10070711
Singh, P., & Borthakur, A. (2018). A review on biodegradation and photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants: A bibliometric and comparative analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 196, 1669–1680.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.05.289
Siregar, U. J., Rachmi, A., Massijaya, M. Y., Ishibashi, N., & Ando, K. (2007). Economic analysis of sengon (Paraserianthes falcataria) community forest plantation, a fast-growing species in East Java, Indonesia. Forest Policy and Economics, 9(7), 822–829. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2006.03.014
Situmorang, R. O. P., & Yen, T.-M. (2022). Comparison of benefits, stakeholders, implementation, and locations of community forestry in Taiwan and Indonesia based on experts’ views. Journal of Forest Research, 27(5), 334–341. https://doi.org/10.1080/13416979.2022.2038764
Stoian, D., Monterroso, I., & Current, D. (2019). SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth – Potential impacts on forests and forest-dependent livelihoods. In P. Katila, C. J. Pierce Colfer, W. de Jong, G. Galloway, P. Pacheco, & G. Winkel (Eds.), Sustainable development goals: Their impacts on forests and people (pp. 237–278). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108765015
Sun, Y., Li, L., Yang, Q., & Zong, B. (2025). Visualization of forest education using CiteSpace: A bibliometric analysis. Forests, 16(6), 985. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16060985
Sutata, D. F., Sadono, R., & Marhaento, H. (2023). The role of stakeholders in the management of Jurang Jero Nature Tourism Object in Mount Merapi National Park, Central Java, Indonesia. Jurnal Manajemen Hutan Tropika, 29(3), 208–218. https://journal.ipb.ac.id/index.php/jmht/article/view/46688
Suwarno, A., Nawir, A. A., Julmansyah, & Kurniawan. (2009). Participatory modelling to improve partnership schemes for future Community-Based Forest Management in Sumbawa District, Indonesia. Environmental Modelling & Software, 24(12), 1402–1410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2009.07.001
Turner‐Skoff, J. B., & Cavender, N. (2019). The benefits of trees for livable and sustainable communities. Plants, People, Planet, 1(4), 323–335. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.39
Wahyu, A., Suharjito, D., Darusman, D., & Syaufina, L. (2024). Local institutional strength of village and community forests in Indonesia. Small-scale Forestry, 23, 371–391. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-024-09568-0.
Wang, Z., Ma, D., Pang, R., Xie, F., Zhang, J., & Sun, D. (2020). Research progress and development trend of social media big data (SMBD): Knowledge mapping analysis based on CiteSpace. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 9(11), 632. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi9110632
Widiyanto, A., Nurrochmat, D. R., Trison, S., & Subarudi. (2025). Assessing the option of devolution without decentralization in social forestry management: The case study of Java, Indonesia. Environment and Ecology Research, 13(4), 509–520. https://doi.org/10.13189/eer.2025.130405
Wong, G. Y., Moeliono, M., Bong, I. W., Pham, T. T., Sahide, M. A. K., Naito, D., & Brockhaus, M. (2020). Social forestry in Southeast Asia: Evolving interests, discourses and the many notions of equity. Geoforum, 117, 246–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2020.10.010
Wulandari, C., Bakri, S., Riniarti, M., & Supriadi, S. (2021). Fostering the sustainability of community forestry program: Case study in lampung-sumatra. Forestry Ideas, 27(1), 210–232.
Wulandari, C., & Inoue, M. (2018). The importance of social learning for the development of community based forest management in Indonesia: The case of community forestry in Lampung Province. Small-scale Forestry, 17, 361–376.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-018-9392-7
Zhang, J., Dong, Y., Liu, Y., Kang, Y., Xie, S., & Xu, H. (2025). Knowledge domain and emerging trends in monitoring of forest fires using remote sensing: A scientometric review based on CiteSpace analysis. Agricultural & Rural Studies, 3(2), 29. https://doi.org/10.59978/ar03020008
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Iqbal Nur Madjid, Daris Fahmaa Sutata, Ikhsan Fiqra Naufalianto , Agung Yoga Pangestu, Danis Syahroni