The development of micro-zonation of vegetation for conservation of Plawangan Hill in Mount Merapi National Park (MMNP), Indonesia's

Abstract

Mountainous flora is present at various altitudes, frequently surpassing 1000 m. They are characterized by low temperatures, adequate precipitation, and a rich array of vegetation adapted to withstand the severe circumstances of the rugged landscape. The micro-zonation of vegetation was established utilizing criteria and sub-criteria obtained from other objectives, as recorded in the literature of prior studies. This study employed the K-means clustering algorithm to identify differences in the criterion. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was used to assess the weight and score of factors essential for the micro-zonation of vegetation. The data-collecting strategy involved conducting comprehensive interviews and hand-filing questionnaires with professionals. Four experts were involved, comprising administrative professionals from Mount Merapi National Park (MMNP) and academic staff from the management and conservation department of the University of Gadjah Mada's forestry faculty. The spatial evaluation was conducted using ArcMap 10.4 software, following the AHP, which was processed using an Excel sheet. The objective was to develop a geo-ecological model by establishing a micro-zonation of vegetation on Plawangan Hill for conservation purposes. The results indicated that the AHP analysis of vegetation micro-zonation assigned the highest weight (0.197) to the history of volcanic eruptions. The vegetation characteristics were subsequently determined by height (0.128), land cover (0.117), MMNP zone (0.096), elevation (0.092), slope (0.082), rainfall intensity (0.073), and soil nutrients (0.056). The micro-zonation of vegetation produced five clusters and five priorities. Cluster 3 was designated priority 1, including an area of 33.56 hectares, or 24%, followed by cluster 1, which was assigned second priority with an area of 26.55 hectares, or 19%. Cluster 5 was designated as the third priority, including an area of 36.08 hectares, representing 26%, while cluster 4 was assigned as the fourth priority, covering 35.15 hectares, or 25%. The final zone was cluster 2, designated as the fifth priority, including an area of 6.88 ha, equivalent to 5%. The findings subsequently suggested activities that could significantly enhance the conservation efforts at Plawangan Hill. The Plawangan Hill wilderness zone constituted around 70% of the area identified as a priority zone. All clusters, except cluster 4, displayed characteristics linked to the use and wildness zones of the research locations. The managerial team of MMNP would prioritize and implement substantial steps to conserve the area designated as a utilization zone. Reforestation and restoration initiatives in prioritized regions utilizing native flora adapted to the Lowland Tropical and Low Mountain Tropical Forest ecosystems are crucial for the conservation of Plawangan Hill.

Keywords: Analytical hierarchy process (AHP); K-mean cluster; Modelling; Mount Merapi National Park (MMNP); Priority zones; Vegetation characteristics.