Peningkatan Kapasitas Pokdarwis dalam Pengelolaan Ecokarst Tourism Sungai Maron

Abstract

Sebanyak 80% masyarakat Desa Dersono, Kecamatan Pringkuku, Kabupaten Pacitan berprofesi sebagai petani. Desa Dersono secara geologis berada dikawasan Karst Gunungsewu. Kawasan karst identik sebagai kawasan yang kering dan tandus dikarenakan didominasi pelorongan batuan karbonat sehingga air hujan yang jatuh kepermukaan mudah diloloskan kelapisan bawah lebih dari 50 meter. Sehingga mengakibatkan hasil pertanian disana kurang optimal. Meskipun kawasan karst identic kering dan tandus, perannya sebagai pengatur iklim dengan fungsi penyerapan karbon dioksida atmosfer dan keindahan morfologinya menjadi keunggulan yang tidak ditemukan pada kawasan lain. Salah satu potensi keindahan morfologi kawasan karst di Desa Dersono ialah keberadaan Sungai Maron yang dijadikan sebagai objek pariwisata sehingga dapat meningkatkan pendapatan masyarakat selain dari hasil pertanian. Namun disatu sisi, pemanfaatan kawasan karst untuk aktivitas pertanian maupun pariwisata berpeluang merusak ekosistem kawasan karst, sehingga fungsi vital maupun keindahannya terganggu. Perlu dilakukan pengelolaan kawasan karst berkelanjutan sehingga kegiatan pariwisata yang menunjang perekonomian masyarakat dapat dijalankan dan kelestarian lingkungan juga tetap terjaga. Pemahaman mengenai pengelolaan pariwisata kawasan karst yang berkelanjutan dilakukan melalui Focus Group Discussion (FGD) bersama Pokdarwis Sungai Maron dan perangkat Desa Dersono. FGD diawali dengan pemberian materi terkait ekosistem kawasan karst dan pengelolaan pariwisata alam berkelanjutan. Kemudian dilanjutkan diskusi dengan anggota Pokdarwis dan perangkat desa yang hadirGuna mengukur ketercapaian dilakukan pre test dan post test berkaitan dengan pemahaman pengelolaan kawasan karst. Anggota Pokdarwis dikategorikan kedalam kelas pamahaman sangat rendah, rendah, cukup, tinggi dan sangat tinggi. Hasil pre test menunjukkan 3% termasuk kategori sangat rendah, 13% rendah, 22% cukup, tinggi 25% dan sangat tinggi 37%. Kemudian dari hasil post test menunjukkan tidak ada anggota Pokdarwis yang masuk kategori sangat rendah dan rendah, kategori cukup berkurang menjadi 7.5%, kategori tinggi naik menjadi 30% dan kategori sangat tinggi naik menjadi 62.5. Sehingga dapat disimpulkan bahwa Pokdarwis Sungai Maron sudah meningkat pemahamannya mengenai pengelolaan pariwisata kawasan karst bekelanjutan

As many as 80% of Dersono Village, Pringkuku District, and Pacitan Regency work as farmers. Dersono Village is located in the Gunungsewu Karst area. Karst areas are identified as dry and barren because carbonate rock tunnels dominate them, so rainwater that falls on the surface can easily escape to the lower layers of more than 50 meters. This results in agricultural yields that need to be more optimal. Even though karst areas are identified as dry and barren, their role as climate regulators with the function of absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide and their morphological beauty are advantages that are not found in other areas. One potential beauty of the morphology of the Dersono Village karst area is the Maron River, which is used as a tourism object to increase people's income apart from agricultural products. However, on the one hand, using karst areas for agricultural and tourism activities can damage the ecosystem of the karst area so that its vital functions and beauty are disrupted. It is necessary to carry out sustainable management of karst areas so that tourism activities supporting the community's economy can be carried out and environmental sustainability is maintained. Understanding sustainable tourism management in karst areas was carried out through Focus Group Discussions (FGD) with Pokdarwis Sungai Maron and Dersono Village officials. The FGD began by providing material related to karst area ecosystems and sustainable natural tourism management. They then continued discussions with Pokdarwis members and village officials who were present. Pre-tests and post-tests related to understanding karst area management were carried out to measure achievements. Pokdarwis members are categorized into very low, low, moderate, high, and high understanding classes. The pre-test results showed that 3% was in the very low category, 13% was low, 22% was sufficient, 25% was high, and 37% was very high. Then, the post-test results showed no Pokdarwis members in the low and low categories; the moderate category decreased to 7.5%, the high category increased to 30%, and the high category increased to 62.5. So, the Maron River Pokdarwis has improved its understanding of sustainable tourism management in karst areas.