Perception of Coastal Communities In Bandar Lampung City Towards Mangrove Forest

Persepsi masyarakat di wilayah pesisir perkotaan terhadap ekosistem mangrove menjadi faktor penting dalam perencanaan strategi keberlanjutannya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan persepsi masyarakat terhadap hutan mangrove di Kelurahan Kota Karang, Kota Bandar Lampung. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan wawancara menggunakan kuisioner dan observasi. Data yang terkumpul dianalisis menggunakan Skala Likert dan selanjutnya dideskripsikan secara kuantitatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa 50 % persepsi masyarakat terhadap mangrove masuk ke dalam kategori sedang (netral). Kondisi ini terjadi akibat masyarakat cenderung ragu dalam menentukan sikap terhadap hutan mangrove. Faktor yang mempengaruhi persepsi masyarakat tersebut yaitu rendahnya pengetahuan, jenjang pendidikan, kesadaran dan ketersediaan waktu masyarakat, serta minimnya informasi mengenai hutan mangrove akibat belum optimalnya peran pemerintah dalam memberikan edukasi (penyuluhan). Pemerintah diharapkan dapat memberikan edukasi dan membuat kebijakan untuk meningkatkan kesadaran masyarakat akan pentingnya kelestarian hutan mangrove.The community perception in urban coastal areas towards the mangrove ecosystem is an important factor in planning its sustainability strategy. This study aims to explain people's perceptions of mangrove forests in Kota Karang district, City of Bandar Lampung. Data collection was carried out by interview using questionnaires and observations. The collected data were analyze using the Likert scale, then it was described quantitatively. The results showed that 50% of people's perceptions of mangroves was medium (neutral) category. This condition occurred because people tend to hesitate in determining their responds towards mangrove forests. The factors that influence community perceptions were lack of knowledge of mangrove, educational levels, awareness and time availability of the community, and also the lack of information about mangrove forests due to the inadequate role of the government in providing the education (counseling) of mangrove. The government is expected to provide education and make policies to increase public awareness towards the importance of preserving mangrove forests