Analisis Perubahan Tutupan Lahan Terhadap Habitat Gajah Sumatera (Elephas Maximus Sumatranus) di Taman Nasional Gunung Leuser (Studi kasus : Desa Batu Jong -jong).

Abstract

The ongoing changes in forest area conditions have had a significant impact on wildlife, including the Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus). Batu Jong-Jong Village is one of the areas experiencing human-elephant conflict. To understand the dynamics of this conflict, this study aims to analyze land use changes between 2018 and 2023 and examine community activity patterns that potentially trigger conflicts with wildlife. This research utilizes remote sensing technology through Landsat 8 imagery, which is analyzed using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform with the Random Forest algorithm to produce land cover classifications and a land use change matrix. In addition, a descriptive approach was applied through interviews and questionnaires distributed to local communities living near forest areas. The results of the study identified eight land use classes: Forest, Mixed Gardens, Rubber Plantations, Oil Palm Plantations, Settlements, Agriculture, Rivers, and Open Land. The most significant change occurred in the Forest class, which was converted into Open Land covering an area of 497.47 hectares. Community activities around forest areas generally involve the use of privately held land for plantation purposes, which affects elephant habitats through overlapping between human activities and the elephants’ natural range. Most residents still rely on land ownership documents such as sub-district (SK Camat) and village decrees (SK Desa), which do not fully guarantee legal clarity within the context of conservation area management.