Rich Forests, Poor PeopleResource Control and Resistance in Java

Abstract
Millions of Javanese peasants live alongside state-controlled forest lands in one of the world's most densely populated agricultural regions. Because their legal access and customary rights to the forest have been severely limited, these peasants have been pushed toward illegal use of forest resources. This book untangles the complex of peasant and state politics that has developed in Java over three centuries. Drawing on historical materials and intensive field research, including two contemporary case studies, the text presents the story of the forest and its people. Without major changes in forest policy, the book contends, the situation is portentous. Economic, social, and political costs to the government will increase. Development efforts will by stymied and forest destruction will continue. Mindful that a dramatic shift is unlikely, the book suggests how tension between foresters and villagers can be alleviated while giving peasants a greater stake in local forest management.

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