The role of social capital in mangrove spaces conceptualized by the Torosiaje community to address the dilemmas of ecotourism management in Indonesia

Mangrove ecotourism is often promoted as a sustainable development strategy, yet its sustainability in practice is closely linked to the quality of social relations and the effectiveness of community-based governance. This study examines how social capital within Torosiaje's mangrove space supports community-based ecotourism management. Drawing on in-depth interviews with environmental awareness groups, Indigenous community members, tourism awareness groups, and external organizations, the data were analyzed thematically. The findings indicate that trust and social ties within the Indigenous community underpin collective management of ecotourism space, while collaborative networks and unwritten norms serve as regulatory mechanisms supporting mangrove ecosystem sustainability through culturally rooted practices. Although social capital appears to perform different functions across spatial contexts, a working balance is maintained through mutual understanding and interdependence among community groups, external institutions, and government. The study highlights social capital as a spatial organizing force in sustainable mangrove ecotourism. However, investor interventions and commercialization dynamics were outside the scope of this study; future research should examine these dynamics and assess whether similar social capital–space configurations operate across different ecosystems and over the long term.