Kontribusi Dienst Van Het Boschwezen dalam Konservasi Hutan di Wilayah Perkebunan Sumatera Timur (1913-1942)

Abstract

This study discusses the contribution of the Dienst van het Boschwezen to forest conservation in the plantation regions of East Sumatra during the period 1913–1942. The research aims to explain the background of the establishment of the forestry service in the plantation areas of East Sumatra, its contributions to forest conservation, and the continuity of the forestry service during the Japanese occupation. The research employs the historical method, consisting of the stages of heuristics, verification, interpretation, and historiography. Data were obtained through literature studies and colonial archival research. The results indicate that since the establishment of the forestry service in East Sumatra, forest conservation had begun to be properly managed. The management and maintenance of botanical gardens, nature reserves, and production forests carried out by the forestry service marked a new phase in forest conservation efforts in East Sumatra’s plantation regions. However, during the Japanese occupation, forest governance declined as the Japanese administration focused on fulfilling wartime needs, reducing forests to mere resources for exploitation. Keywords: Contribution, Forest Conservation, Plantation Region, East Sumatra