The Bale Mangrove Ecotourism: Protecting Coastal Forest Ecosystems in Jerowaru District, Indonesia

Abstract

Mangrove ecotourism can support coastal ecosystem conservation while providing livelihood opportunities for local communities. This study analysed the internal and external strategic factors affecting Bale Mangrove in Jerowaru District, East Lombok Regency, and assessed their implications for coastal forest ecosystem conservation. Primary data were collected through field surveys, on-site observation, structured interviews, and focus group discussions involving Bale Mangrove managers, local residents, tourists, and tourism stakeholders. A total of 51 respondents were selected using accidental sampling. Secondary data were obtained from previous research reports and online publications through a desk-based study. Internal and external factors were evaluated using SWOT analysis, with factor weights determined through the Analytical Hierarchy Process. The internal-factor score was 0.493, indicating that strengths exceeded weaknesses, whereas the external-factor score was −0.010, indicating that threats marginally exceeded opportunities. Principal strengths included community participation, mangrove-based nature-tourism potential, environmental education, and supporting facilities. Key weaknesses involved limited human-resource capacity, funding constraints, suboptimal cooperation, and accessibility. Opportunities arose from institutional support, tourist interest, collaboration, and corporate social-responsibility programmes, while major threats included climate change, competing attractions, fishpond expansion, and domestic waste. The findings support a strength–threat strategy that mobilises community participation and institutional collaboration to address environmental pressures. Conservation, infrastructure improvement, training, coordinated monitoring, and sustainable tourism management are therefore central to the continued development of Bale Mangrove.