Teluk Bintuni District, located in the West Papua Province of Indonesia, was selected as the study area for this study. The administrative districts that make up this region are located on three sides of Teluk Bintuni, which is a gulf that divides the Bird's Head Peninsula and the Bomberai Peninsula, with a total area of 18,637 km² Figure 1. This study was conducted in the administration area of Teluk Bintuni District (1°57'50" - 3°11'26" LS and 1.9.32°44'59" - 134°14'49" E) covering the living area of seven tribes as stated in the Regional Regulations Number 1 Year 2019 on the Recognition and Protection of Traditional Legal Communities in Teluk Bintuni District, in which the seven tribes are Kuri, Wamesa, Irorutu, Sebyar, Simuri, Sougb, and Moskona.

The main study area is dominated by lowland forests, except mangroves. The lowland forest is dominated by primary forests, some of which are utilized for shifting cultivation, resulting in secondary forests. The forest consisted of lifeforms like ferns, herbs, lianas, shrubs, trees, palms/screw palms in the primary and secondary forests in the study area where the primary forest had a higher diversity, with 246 species found in the primary forest. In comparison, 162 species were found in the secondary forest. In their study, (Rumayomi et al., 2024) found that 98 out of 310 species were shared between the two forests, with 36.3% exclusive to the primary forest and 15.7% exclusive to the secondary forest.

Data concerning regional regulations in Teluk Bintuni District, in the context of sociocultural and natural resource management, were the focus of this study. The implementation of traditional knowledge, primarily Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), was incorporated into the natural resources management conducted by local people.

Data collection was conducted through interviews with respondents using a non-random process, which considered the perspective of the research goal (Cox, 2015). The interview method was carried out using the guidance to collect social data, particularly with tribal leaders (7 respondents), heads of villages, and local people (30 respondents), while a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was performed by the stakeholders like the central government (2 respondents), local government (27 respondents based on the list on Chapter III in the Regional Regulation of Teluk Bintuni District Number 7 Year 2016 on the Formation and Composition of Regional Organization in Teluk Bintuni District), Non-Governmental Organizations/NGOs (2 respondents), religion leaders (5 respondents), and representation of women (1 respondent). The interview process was conducted in informal situations to allow flexibility for the respondent in addressing the questions (Maryudi & Fisher, 2020). Another interview with the government was conducted using the list of institutions obtained from initial talks with the government's representatives. The heads of villages and local people were selected using the purposive method, which required an understanding of socio-cultural conditions through preliminary observation.

To enrich the data, the local traders of wildlife meat and crops were also interviewed to learn about the process of hunting, traditional cultivation, and their perspective regarding the role of the ecosystem in their livelihoods. In order to collect data from local people, this study employed purposive sampling to select respondents, followed by the snowball method to gather additional information. Before conducting the interview, we observed the social conditions of the local people by gathering information from some tribal leaders and village heads. The observation was used to determine the starting point of a purposive sample, where the researcher's judgment was employed to select the initial respondent as the expert respondent based on their ability to identify other potential respondents. Once the expert respondent was identified, other respondents were selected based on the guidance provided by the expert respondent (Drané et al., 2018); (Goodman, 1961).

As this study collected qualitative data, we conducted a narrative analysis by presenting data on socio-cultural and natural resources management regulations in Teluk Bintuni District. Furthermore, the data of TEK was expressed by describing various interactions between local people and the natural resources. We hypothesized that the more local people interact with natural resources, the more dependent they are on these resources. For example, the use of vegetated areas as a traditional cultivation and hunting system implemented by the local people. The data were presented with illustrations using authentic documentation as strong evidence obtained during the study.

To set the strategies for integrating TEK into regional development, we performed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis by describing the condition of Teluk Bintuni District. The four factors were derived based on information collected from the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and interviews, which were presented using the Eurequip matrix (Ansoff, 1980); (Weihrich, 1982), followed by a narrative presentation of the strategic issues. The SWOT analysis may be used to guide potential approaches by using the strengths and opportunities as positive factors, while minimizing the undesirable conditions of weaknesses and threats (Bull et al., 2016); (Navarro-Martínez et al., 2020).

Teluk Bintuni District has accommodated the customary rights of the seven tribes by gazetting the Regional Regulations Number 1 of 2019 concerning the Recognition and Protection of Traditional Legal Communities in Teluk Bintuni District. This regulation supported the position of local people, as mentioned in the seven tribes: Kuri, Wamesa, Irorutu, Sebyar, Simuri, Sougb, and Moskona. Moreover, to legally support the regulation, the regent issued Regulation Number 22 of 2020 concerning Guidelines for Identification, Verification, and Determination of Traditional Legal Communities in Teluk Bintuni District. According to the guidelines, the Teluk Bintuni District has legally prioritized the rights of local people during development. Furthermore, the establishment of the indigenous people’s institution (in Bahasa Indonesia, Lembaga Masyarakat Adat Tujuh Suku [hereafter referred to as LMA Tujuh Suku]) as the office (Figure 2a; Figure 2b) and the monument has been built to show the seven tribes (Figure 2d).

Other regulations have also been made to strengthen the position of local people in Teluk Bintuni, i.e., 1) Decision of the Regent of Bintuni Bay Number 188.4.5/064/2023 concerning Recognition of the Yen Clan's Traditional Legal Community in the Moskona Tribe in Bintuni Bay District and 2) Regent's Decree Number: 188.4.5/C-8 Year 2021 concerning the Formation of a Committee for Indigenous People in Teluk Bintuni District, indicating that the district considers the local people during the development, so this condition can be seen as a strong opportunity to include traditional knowledge of tribes in this district. Recently, the government of Teluk Bintuni District implemented these regulations by issuing several guidelines to the committee to identify the customary rights of the tribes. The process is related to the activities of the private sector, such as the oil and gas sector and logging concessions, which require large areas to impact forest conversion or secondary succession.

In the administrative area of Teluk Bintuni District, there are seven tribes legally acknowledged. The tribes have been living in this area for generations and have been implementing traditional knowledge. Many studies indicated that the tribes still perform the cultural processes in their livelihood, which vary due to their living areas, ranging from coastal to terrestrial, as the tribes of Kuri, Wamesa, Irorutu, Sebyar, and Simuri live and have customary rights near the shoreline, while Sougb and Moskona tend to inhabit inland areas.

The tribes actually understand and agree with the customary rights belonging to each tribe, where each tribe consists of a clan, as stated legally in the Appendix of Regional Regulation Number 1 of 2019. In the Appendix of the regulation, the names of clans are written as the result of several stages during the process, based on discussions and consolidation between the local government and the tribal leaders in which the traditional knowledge is developed based on the agreement and understanding of local people transferred among generations verbally and by practice. Hence, to implement and manage traditional knowledge, the tribes rely on tribal leaders, village heads, or older people. The tribes have been practicing traditional knowledge by conducting traditional cultivation, as well as implementing hunting systems and fishing Figure 3.

In certain conditions, some tribal members are allowed to rent out areas to be used by others, such as outsiders (not from the seven tribes). During a legal trade, such as in areas where local people are involved, they must agree with the owner of customary rights before obtaining the certificate. The LMA usually issues the agreement as a recommendation from the tribal representation during the trade. Figure 3 illustrates various types of interactions and dependencies between local people and natural resources.

We have asked and proposed the conditions that determine the aspects of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) implementation in the Teluk Bintuni District area during a Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Hence, in this study, we described the factors impacting TEK implementation during the development program of Teluk Bintuni District, whether they were inhibiting or supporting elements. The factors were grouped into strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) to describe the extent to which traditional knowledge was integrated into the development programs of Teluk Bintuni District. The use of TEK is related to the sustainable management of natural resources, like forests. Thus, the harmonization between conservation and exploitation can be addressed during exploitation.

The implementation of ecological and economic perspectives during forest utilization is conducted by local people and the private sectors, which is considered as the primary goal. As a result, conservation programs in developing districts often face unique challenges and opportunities, particularly when integrating conservation programs with TEK, encompassing the cumulative knowledge, practices, and beliefs of indigenous and local communities passed down through generations and are deeply rooted in the sustainable management of natural resources. While leveraging TEK in conservation programs offers immense potential, it also requires a careful assessment of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) to ensure effective implementation and long-term success Figure 4.

In Teluk Bintuni District, the integration between Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and regional planning and development is hindered by limitations and threats, as the district is prioritizing infrastructure construction to improve accessibility in the areas. Despite political instability, supporting variables are identified as strengths and possibilities that would achieve an optimistic aim. Companies that have invested over the years have exploited natural resources in this district. Conservation programs, like the carbon fund, are supported by international funds. Due to their high biodiversity and wide distribution areas, conservation areas are associated with varied traditional knowledge, making biodiversity and cultural conditions fascinating topics to study. International rules may support sustainable management, as this district has also incorporated NGOs into biodiversity and social conservation projects as part of its sustainable program for regional development. The implementation requires information technology, supported by an internet connection, to distribute and communicate data across different locations.

Our study proposes strategies formulated from the Eurequip matrix that can be used to integrate traditional knowledge and regional programs.

Teluk Bintuni District has acknowledged the customary rights of seven tribes by issuing Regional Regulations Number 1 of 2019 to protect traditional communities. The acknowledgement is recognized by prioritizing people's rights during development, supported by additional regulations, and by establishing the LMA Tujuh Suku involving Kuri, Wamesa, Irorutu, Sebyar, Simuri, Sougb, and Moskona tribes who have lived in the area for generations, by practising Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), having the primary goals of socio-economic and ecological factors. The TEK is incorporated into development programs as a method to achieve conservation and economic growth goals. Several challenges, such as limited infrastructure, political instability, and the need for community engagement, hinder effective implementation. Strengths include the availability of natural resources and international funding for conservation efforts.

Our study emphasized the importance of education, stakeholder collaboration, and the use of technology to document and share TEK. Strategies for incorporating TEK into conservation planning, such as participatory research, capacity building, and adaptive management, are vital. Ultimately, effective conservation programs must prioritize community-based involvement, trust-building, and the incorporation of local knowledge to achieve sustainable development goals in this district.