New Forestry Politics of Mangkunegara VII, 1911-1942
Nina Witasari
1
{ninawitasari@mail.unnes.ac.id
1
}
Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia
1
Abstract. Forest management in the Mangkunegaran (MN) area is largely through two
periods, the management period by Wreksa Pandaya and the management period of
Wanamarta. Kemantren Wreksa Pandaya has been operating at the time of MN IV, the task
was more to fulfill the interests of the palace needs for timber and other forest products.
While the maintenance task has become a result of economic expansion which has led to
forest degradation and environmental damage. Over time, economic changes and political
conditions both globally and locally, forest management has also undergone a fairly
fundamental change. The exploitation of the Mangkunegara IV forest is like two knives for
its prejudice, on the one hand it brings economic prosperity but on the other hand brings
ecological damage. Mangkunegara VII makes several forestry regulations. These
regulations generally limit the access of people living around the forest, to the
Mangkunegaran forest. Problems then arise when at the same time people need a place to
live, food and income that depends on the existence of the forest. Forests are no longer an
asset to be exploited but also conserved. Environmental awareness emerged during MN
VII, and was confirmed by the presence of a number of regulations regarding the
management of the Mangkunegaran forest. This research is historical research. Then the
method used is the method of historical research. The steps are four, heuristics or collection
of sources, source critic, interpretation and final historiography or historical writing.
Keywords: Forestry Politics, Mangkunegara, Forest Management
1 Introduction
The management of the Mangkunegaran forest that is carried out professionally and
structurally began at the time of MN IV, namely the establishment of the Kemantren Wreksa
Pandaya [1]. Management of the Mangkunegaran forest under the kemantren Wreksa Pandaya
is contained in Manuscript no. 12 (11 August 1867), concerning the division of the bureaucratic
structure of the Mangkunegaran Duchy during the reign of Mangkunegara IV. More specifically
it is explained in Chapter 8 which states that the bureaucracy which has the authority to deal
with the provision of all palace needs is handled by Kawedanan Pura Baksana, in whose
authority there are 3 kemantren, one of which is kemantren Wreksa Pandaya. There are 3 main
tasks of kemantren Wreksa Pandaya, serving the demand for teakwood used for home needs
and interior-decoration, knowing the size, location, and ease of the situation of the logging site,
and maintaining teak forests, providing wood for cooking and making charcoal. In carrying out
its duties the mantri Wreksa Pandaya is assisted by several Blandong (loggers).
An interesting fact emerges related to the position and direct authority of forest management.
As stated in Manuscript no. 21, July 30, 1871, which contains the regulations issued by
Mangkunegara IV, concerning the management of teak trees and yearly trees in the
Mangkunegaran region. In this regulation, the position of mantri wreksa has never been
ICESI 2019, July 18-19, Semarang, Indonesia
Copyright © 2019 EAI
DOI 10.4108/eai.18-7-2019.2290451