Elaborating the Attributes of Local Ecological Knowledge: A Case Study of Parak and Rimbo Practices in Koto Malintang Village

Research on local ecological knowledge (LEK) or traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) has been getting a lot of attention from researchers, but there are many discourses in terms of epistemology and methodology which can cause the delegitimation of community knowledge in forestry policies. We assessed the importance of elaborating the attributes of LEK and TEK as a way to describe community knowledge comprehensively and holistically. This research uses case study methods to describe the practices and existences of parak and rimbo in Koto Malintang Village, West Sumatra Province. We collected data and information by conducting unstructured interviews, observations, and documents selection which were analyzed with categorization and codification and were complemented with history analysis, spatial analysis, and related document analysis. The results showed that community knowledge can be categorized in the attributes of LEK and TEK as a unified whole of local knowledge on natural resources management and suggest 2 ways to improve the national and local forestry policies, especially the social forestry strategies, by promoting village spatial planning and encouraging participatory institutions.