the Integrating indigenous women knowledge into mangrove management - the Tonotwiyat system in Papua, Indonesia

Authors

  • Yunus Pajanjan Paulangan Cenderawasih University
  • Triyanto Research Center for Limnology and Water Resources, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN)
  • Arsyad Al Amin M Center for Coastal and Marine Resources Studies, IPB University
  • Ervina Indrayani Department of Marine Science and Fisheries, Cenderawasih University
  • Khristhoper A.A. Manalu Department of Marine Science and Fisheries, Cenderawasih University
  • Erlani Febrida Rahareng Department of Marine Science and Fisheries, Cenderawasih University
  • Fitra Yunia Ramba Department of Marine Science and Fisheries, Cenderawasih University; Center of Marine and Fisheries Resources Study, Cenderawasih University
  • Muhammad Hisyam Department of Marine Science and Fisheries, Cenderawasih University

Abstract

Background: Effective mangrove management requires the integration of local ecological knowledge, customary institutions, and gender equity. This study examines Tonotwiyat-Women's Forest in Youtefa Bay, Papua, Indonesia, as a model of mangrove governance based on indigenous women's knowledge.

Methods: The methods used included a literature review, social-ecological systems (SES) surveys, in-depth interviews, observations, participatory mapping, and focus group discussions. A total of 62 purposively selected respondents participated in the study. The primary respondents were women whose activities were directly related to the mangrove. Additional participants included customary stakeholders, policymakers, village governments, and experts/NGOs. Data were analyzed using the SES framework and institutional analysis based on a common-pool resources (CPR) approach.

Results: The Tonotwiyat-Women's Forest System is a form of local knowledge and wisdom that is a form of gender-based biocultural governance of mangrove forests (mangrove ecosystems), where indigenous women's knowledge serves as an institutional foundation for conservation and collaborative management This model can inform gender-responsive mangrove co-management policies in other coastal areas facing mangrove management challenges with adjustments to local contexts.

Conclusions: Tonotwiyat-Women's Forest shows that formally integrating indigenous women’s knowledge, customary access rights, participatory mapping, and community monitoring can strengthen gender-responsive mangrove co-management and inform coastal policy beyond Youtefa Bay. This model can inform gender-responsive mangrove co-management policies in other coastal areas facing mangrove management challenges with adjustments to local contexts.

Keywords: Tonotwiyat; Women's Forest; local knowledge; local wisdom; mangrove; coastal ethnobotany; social-ecological system; Papua

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Published

2026-07-04

How to Cite

Pajanjan Paulangan, Y., Triyanto, M, A. A. A., Indrayani, E., Manalu, K. A. . ., Rahareng, E. F., Ramba, F. Y. ., & Hisyam, M. (2026). the Integrating indigenous women knowledge into mangrove management - the Tonotwiyat system in Papua, Indonesia. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 35, 1–15. Retrieved from https://ethnobotanyjournal.org/index.php/era/article/view/8580

Issue

Vol. 35 (2026)

Section

Research

License

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