Cultural landscape preservation and ecotourism development in Blambangan Biosphere Reserve, East Java

Cultural landscapes in the Blambangan Biosphere Reserve, East Java, represent important resources for sustainable development. The reserve has rich bio-cultural resources, including wildlife, flora, landscapes, and human ethnicity and traditions. For years, tourism has been implemented in the core areas of the reserve, namely Alas Purwo National Park, Baluran National Park, Meru Betiri National Park, and the Ijen crater (Ijen Nature Reserve). So far, tourism has not been encouraged in the cultural landscape areas, but there is strong evidence that tourist interest in visiting these sites will increase significantly. Within the biosphere reserve, paddy terraces, agroforestry farming systems, and local settlements comprise the cultural landscapes with potential for development as tourist attractions within a model of local sustainable development; however, plans to exploit these opportunities should be guided by proper management to ensure the sustainability of the cultural landscapes. Plans to meet tourist needs often involve tourism product availability. The effectiveness of the management of cultural landscapes as a tourism destination is related to the availability of comprehensive environmental management planning documents. For tourism product construction and development to be attractive, scientific information on local knowledge, biodiversity level, and physical characteristic of cultural landscapes are essential.