Integration of Socio-Ecological Systems in Community-Based Sustainable Coastal Management

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the integration of socio-ecological systems in community-based sustainable coastal management in Teluk Awur Village, Jepara Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. The study addresses the problem of coastal degradation, livelihood vulnerability, unequal participation, and weak institutional coordination in local coastal governance. A qualitative case study approach was used to explore community experiences, local ecological knowledge, participation patterns, actor relations, and adaptive practices. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, limited participant observation, documentation, and methodological triangulation involving fishermen, mangrove group members, coastal tourism managers, village officials, local leaders, women involved in coastal economic activities, youth representatives, and local environmental agency officers. The findings reveal four main themes: local ecological knowledge as a basis for coastal action, community participation as shared responsibility, livelihood pressure as a constraint on sustainability, and institutional coordination as a condition for socio-ecological integration. The study shows that coastal communities understand environmental change through daily experience, livelihood disruption, spatial memory, and collective practice. However, participation remains uneven when communities are involved in program implementation but have limited influence in planning and decision-making. This study contributes to socio-ecological systems theory by showing that coastal resilience emerges from the interaction between ecological recovery, social learning, institutional trust, and livelihood adaptation. The findings suggest that coastal policy should strengthen participatory planning, livelihood-sensitive conservation, and long-term community-based governance.