Indonesia is a country that is very rich in abundant natural resources. One of the important
natural resources is forests, to achieve a dynamic and balanced utilization of forests, they
must be taken care of and managed, protected and utilized sustainably for the welfare of
the Indonesian people. In order to realize this, a just and sustainable yield principle is
needed. This principle places the community as a subject in forest management activities,
actively and intrasystematically. In this regard, the Ketapang Regency in West Kalimantan
implements Regional Regulation No. 26 of 2000. The purpose of this research is to identify
the role of the community, as well as obstacles and solutions related to the protection of
protected forests. This empirical legal research was conducted directly with informants
and respondents. The results of this research show that the role of the community in
protecting protected forests can be accomplished by increasing the community’s awareness
and participating in decision-making with local governments in managing and protecting
protected forests, as well as protecting and preserving the forest’s sustainability itself in
accordance with existing laws and regulations. Meanwhile, the inhibiting factors in
protecting protected forests include inadequate budgets, insufficient village facilities and
infrastructures, and training deficiencies.