YOGYAKARTA - Sandalwood (Santalum album) is a plant timber and sandalwood oil. This plant can grow well in tropical climates where rainfall steeper in sandy soil, gravel, rocks, and peat. But since regional autonomy, sandalwood producing areas in South Central Timor, East Nusa Tenggra (NTT), decreasing. Until 2010, only found 1,426 sandalwood trees with a diameter of 20 cm-100 cm, whereas before 1998 the number reached 112 710 trees. "Exploitation of sandalwood management through local regulations issued by the local government did not result in any improvement," said researcher Research Institute Kehutnana Kupang, S. Agung Sri Raharrjo, in open doctoral examination at the Faculty of Forestry yesterday.

Since the implementation of regional autonomy, PAD of sandalwood cultivation continues to decline dramatically, more than that, there is the threat of extinction of sandalwood and lack of community participation in the development of sandalwood. In addition to causing a decrease in potency, sandalwood management policies undertaken by the government unilaterally apathy has led people to plant sandalwood. "People are reluctant to develop sandalwood because the entire economic output taken by the government," he said.

For the management of sandalwood, District Government issued Regulation No. 25 of 2001 on sandalwood, but due to policy making it more dominated government without involving the participation of public, private and academic. Even pengeleolaan sandalwood submitted through the Department of Forestry at the level kabupataen. Different during 1966 to 1999, as many as 27 individuals or institutions involved in pengeloalan sandalwood; include traditional leaders, farmers, village government, tingggi universities, research institutions, NGOs, the President, Governors, Regents, to the Ministry, as well as related agencies.

Now, said Agung, sandalwood management is no longer carried out together with communities, private sector and academia. The threat of extinction of sandalwood and the lack of revenue from sandalwood cultivation is diminishing from year to year. (UGM / Gusti Grehenson)