Strengthening the organization’s ability to oversee forest management in The Province of North Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract Following the adoption of Law No. 23/2014 on Regional Government, which grants the federal and provincial governments jurisdiction over forest monitoring, this study examines the efficacy of forest governance in North Sumatra. This study’s goals are to assess how well forest governance is working, examine the traits of forest governance organizations, and suggest ways to make these organizations better. The study’s findings show that even though this province’s forest resources are similar to those of a common pool, actor synergy is still not at its best. The unresolved problem of forest area allocation, restricted community access rights, and sluggish licensing procedures all demonstrate that forest governance performance has not improved much. According to institutional analysis, the central authority’s dominance over forest planning and supervision is causing the borders of provincial jurisdiction to shrink. This study suggests that assistance tasks be implemented to broaden the scope of provincial jurisdiction. It is envisaged that this endeavor would expand the provincial government’s role in establishing forestry policy and granting permit holders and forest managers ownership rights. All elements of the North Sumatra Provincial Forestry Service must be committed, cooperative, and synergistic to enhance field operations and get beyond challenges to meet the desired goals and objectives.