Protected forest: economic benefit and sustainability analysis of conservation, production, and tourism area (Puntang, West Java)

The pressure exerted on forest ecosystems significantly affects sustainability, necessitating the implementation of sustainable forest management practices. Mount Puntang Protection Forest ( Hutan Lindung Gunung Puntang/ HLGP) represents one such protected forest that faces diverse potential uses and threats of damage. This study aimed to estimate the economic benefits, analyse the sustainability status, and formulate a comprehensive management strategy for HLGP. The results demonstrate that the HLGP has yielded substantial economic benefits, particularly for the labour force. However, the average labour wage falls short of the average income per capita of Campakamulya Village. Javan Gibbon Conservation Unit emerges with the highest income share value, while Puntang Coffee Unit records the lowest. Furthermore, the sustainability analysis reveals that all units exhibit a commendable level of sustainability index value of 73.34, in contrast to tourism, which registers the lowest (52.92). Delving into the dimensions of sustainability, the ecological dimension garners the highest sustainability index value, indicative of a robust sustainable status (84.45), whereas the economic dimension lags behind with a less sustainable status (28.07). This study conclusively emphasises the necessity for strategic interventions in HLGP management, especially with respect to the economic dimension. Enhanced cooperation regarding funding, investment, attractiveness, and unit productivity is essential.