Model Pengelolaan Ekosistem Gambut Dataran Tinggi Toba Berbasis Tutupan Lahan, Persepsi Masyarakat, dan Kualitas Tanah Gambut

Abstract

The Toba highland peatland ecosystem is a unique ecosystem that is highly vulnerable to degradation due to land cover change and increasing human pressures. This study aims to analyze changes in highland peatland cover during the periods of 2014, 2019, and 2023, to assess peat soil quality, and to evaluate community perceptions related to highland peatland management in Humbang Hasundutan Regency. The research methods included remote sensing analysis to identify land cover changes, a community perception survey encompassing knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and actions, as well as laboratory analyses of peat soil quality parameters, namely pH, organic carbon, nitrogen, and soil respiration. Statistical analyses were performed using two-way ANOVA, regression analysis, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Subsequently, all results were integrated using the Multi-Criteria Policy Analysis (MULTIPOL) method to develop an integrated management model for the highland peatland ecosystem. The results reveal significant land cover changes from forest to open land and cultivated areas, which have led to a decline in peat soil quality, particularly in chemical and biological parameters. Community perceptions were generally classified as moderate, indicating a gap between knowledge and actual practices in sustainable peatland management. The MULTIPOL model demonstrates that evidence-based monitoring actions and adaptive management policies constitute the most stable and cross-scenario-relevant elements. This study produces a conceptual–empirical and adaptive management model for highland peatlands, which can serve as a scientific basis for formulating sustainable peatland management policies in highland regions.