YOGYAKARTA – Wai Apu Watershed is one of the watersheds on Buru Island, Maluku, which has an important role for local and regional economy. Recent development indicates this watershed has experienced some problems, which can threaten its important role in local regional economy. This is assumed to have occurred due to forest land degradation
Assessment of forest land degradation and deforestation has been more quantified based on the rate of degradation or deforestation (area or percentage per year), total of degraded area, and sometimes the remaining area. In fact, the physical assessment of land cover such as this does not show a complete picture of forest land degradation, especially the spatial dimension of the footprint size of the remaining forest. "This is where the landscape measurement (landscape metrics) is one of the methods used to show the spatial structure of landscape, including forests," said Erawan Asikin in exam of doctoral promotion of Faculty of Geography Universitas Gadjah Mada, on Saturday (20/11).
Erawan explained that using the landscape metrics on the size of the remaining forest site can identify type of degradation process of the dominant forest cover that occurred. Of the changes in the dominant degradation types, especially based on spatial patterns, previous spatial processed which happened can be gathered. Disclosure of spatial pattern and process of forest land degradation using landscape metrics is the main and most important part in his research, which then corresponds to the closest cause of degradation, and spatial impact on the physical changes in the delta and fishery activities. "Through this method, the type of degradation process of the dominant forest cover can be understood," said Erawan who currently serves as Head of Program Development Section, Office of Fisheries and Marine Affairs in Maluku.
Based on the object, this research belongs to explanative survey research using spatial approach, with the theme of spatial pattern analysis that emphasizes on the distribution of space-forming elements, and spatial process analysis theme with an emphasis on changes in the space-forming elements.
This study succeeded in getting several important findings about the patterns and processes of forest degradation, which are new and never disclosed by previous researchers. The findings of the pattern and process are mostly development of the theory of transformation characterized by loss of land area that was developed by Forman (1995), which in theory development is classified as application theory. Therefore, the findings of process and pattern in theory development can be classified as, at least, preposition theory, which is under the theory of changes in land transformation as its application theory. "The disclosure of the spatial pattern findings in this research refers to the spatial pattern based on the peculiarities of physical symptoms distribution on forest land cover in a watershed," said the man born in Ambon on May 3, 1969.
Erawan added that his research result is expected to benefit the scientific community, especially concerning the use of several approaches, which can be applied for research of change or transformation to other land, particularly further research on forest land degradation. Another benefit for the general public is the correction of the degradation of forest land management practices that had been done in the Wai Apu watershed and the follow-up of this research in the rehabilitation of Wai Apu watershed.
In this doctoral exam, Erawan successfully passed cum laude. The team of examiners included Prof. Dr. Sudarmadji, M.Eng.Sc., Prof. Dr. Hadi Sabari Yunus, M.A., Prof. Dr. Chafid Fandeli, M.S., Prof. Dr. Suratman, M.Sc., Prof.. Dr. Totok Gunawan, M.S., Dr. M. Baiquni, M.A., Dr. Sri Rum Ginarsih, M.Sc., and Prof. Dr. Wuryadi, M.