Indonesian Journal of Forestry Research Vol. 12 No. 1, April 2025, 83-98

ISSN 2355-7079/E-ISSN 2406-8195

TRENDS IN FOREST CONSERVATION RESEARCH IN ACEH
PROVINCE, INDONESIA THROUGH 2023: A BIBLIOMETRIC
ANALYSIS
Durrah Hayati1*, Yusuf B. Samsudin2, Fahmy Armanda3, Virda Zikria4, Ali M. Muslih1,
Sarah Andini5, and Syed A. Rahman6
1Department of Forestry, Faculty of Agriculture, Syiah Kuala University, Aceh 23111, Indonesia
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Biology, University of Oxford,
United Kingdom
3
Department of Biology Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education Science, Universitas
Samudera, Aceh, Indonesia
4
Department of Agribusiness, Faculty of Agriculture, Syiah Kuala University, Aceh, Indonesia
5
Research Center for Ecology and Ethnobiology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Republic of
Indonesia Jl. Raya Jakarta-Bogor Km.46, Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia, 16911
6
Institute of Ecology and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education,
College of Urban and Environmental Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
1

2

Received: 5 January 2024 , Revised: 4 November 2024, Accepted: 5 November 2024
TRENDS IN FOREST CONSERVATION RESEARCH IN ACEH PROVINCE, INDONESIA
THROUGH 2023: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS. Forestry research is crucial for forest conservation,
sustainable resource utilization, informing policy, promoting development, and enhancing ecosystem
understanding. This research is vital for creating policies that ensure forest conservation and support
local livelihoods, especially as forests face depletion and degradation threats. Aceh, which contains the
largest remaining forests in Sumatra, plays a crucial role in both local and global conservation. Therefore,
understanding Aceh’s forest conservation research is the first step to improve conservation practices. This
study employs a bibliometric analysis of forest conservation research in Aceh, using Bibliometrix and
Biblioshiny to analyze trends. Using the Scopus database, 354 relevant articles were identified. The analysis
shows publication patterns, including document types, article sources, and research affiliations with Syiah
Kuala University being the primary contributor. The study also examined the knowledge structure through
keyword frequency, trends, and keyword co-occurrences. Results show peer-reviewed journal articles and
conference papers as the main publication types, with increased publications post-2005 due to Aceh’s postwar political stabilization. Keywords, i.e. ‘forestry’, ‘conservation’, ‘fisheries’, and ‘ecosystem’ were found
important. Topic trends revealed interest in forest management, ecosystem services, and disaster-related
terms at post-2004 tsunami. Co-occurrence network analysis identified six main keyword clusters, i.e.
biodiversity, conservation, land use and land cover change, and sustainable development.
Keywords: Forest conservation, bibliometric analysis, research trend, Aceh
TREN PENELITIAN DENGAN TEMA KONSERVASI HUTAN DI PROVINSI ACEH,
INDONESIA HINGGA TAHUN 2023: ANALISIS BIBLIOMETRIK. Penelitian di bidang kehutanan sangat
penting dalam konservasi hutan, pemanfaatan sumber daya yang berkelanjutan, memberikan informasi kebijakan, mendorong
Pembangunan, dan meningkatkan pemahaman ekosistem. Penelitian-penelitian tersebut sangat penting untuk menciptakan
kebijakan terhadap konservasi hutan dan mendukung penghidupan Masyarakat lokal, terutama karena hutan saat ini
menghadapi ancaman deforestasi dan degradasi. Aceh, dengan sisa hutan terluas di Pulau Sumatera, memainkan peran
penting dalam konservasi di tingkat lokal maupun secara global. Oleh karena itu, memahami lanskap penelitian konsrvasi
di Aceh merupakan langkah pertama untuk meningkatkan praktik-praktik konservasi. Penelitian ini menerapkan analisis
bibliometrik terhadap penelitian konservasi hutan di Aceh dengan menggunakan Bibliometrix dan Biblioshiny untuk
menganalisis tren. Sejumlah 354 artikel relevan dari database Scopus berhasil diidentifikasi. Analisis menjukkan pola
*

Corresponding author: durrah@usk.ac. id

©2025 IJFR. Open access under CC BY-NC-SA license. doi:10.59465/ijfr.2025.12.1.83-98

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Indonesian Journal of Forestry Research Vol. 12 No. 1, April 2025, 83-98

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publikasi meliputi jenis dokumen, sumber artikel, dan afiliasi penelitian. Studi ini juga menganalisis struktur pengetahuan
melalui kata kunci yang sering digunakan, tren topik, dan kata kunci terbaru. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan publikasi
utama didominasi oleh artikel proceeding dan jurnal peer review, dimana jumlah dokumen publikasi meningkatkan pesat
pasca tahun 2005 karena adanya stabilisasi politik pasca perang sipil. Kata kunci seperti “kehutanan”, “konservasi”,
“perikanan”, dan “ekosistem” merupakan kata kunci penting. Analisis tren topik menunjukkan kemunculan ketertarikan
terhadap topik pengelolaan hutan, jasa ekosistem, dan istilah-istilah terkait bencana pasca tsunami tahun 2004. Hasil
analisis co-occurrences network mengidentifikasi 6 klaster kata kunci utama, yang berfokus pada keanekaragaman hayati,
konservasi, penggunaan lahan dan perubahan tutupan lahan, serta pembangunan berkelanjutan.
Kata kunci: Konservasi hutan, analisis bibliometrik, tren penelitian, Aceh

I. INTRODUCTION
Forestry research is essential for sustainable
forest resource use, informing policies, and
understanding ecosystems. Initially, it focused
on tree species and timber harvesting, but it
has since expanded to include biodiversity
conservation, sustainable management, and
multi-use forest land integration (Teeguarden,
1979). This research informs policies that
protect forests while supporting those
dependent on them, addressing threats like
depletion and degradation (Tewari, 1994).
Additionally, forest conservation research
promotes sustainable development by
enhancing productivity and reversing negative
trends, including genetic resource loss, through
improved techniques and technologies (Tewari,
1994). The focus of forest research globally
has seen a shift in focus from genetic and
biomedical studies to ecological studies of
key species and habitats (Prins & Wind, 1993).
In Indonesia, this shift has been influenced
by the country's economic restructuring and
the need to address deforestation and forest
degradation (Wardojo & Masripatin, 2002).
The country has made significant efforts to
reduce deforestation, including a moratorium
on permitting primary natural forests and
peatlands, and the development of sustainable
forest management policies (Nugroho et al.,
2023). However, challenges remain, including
the need for a more participatory approach to
forest management and the control of illegal
activities (Alam et al., 2019).
84

Indonesian forest policy has seen major
changes, particularly in forest and biodiversity
conservation. Initially, the forest sector in
Indonesia was non-commercial, but it evolved
to become vital to the national economy by
the 1970s. However, rapid forest degradation
followed, due to limited regeneration efforts
and land-use policy changes for settlement
and agriculture (Wardojo & Masripatin, 2002).
In response, the forestry sector reformed to
address environmental challenges. By 2003,
the Ministry of Forestry prioritized conserving
remaining forests and rehabilitating degraded
lands, marking a shift toward sustainability and
conservation in policy (Wardojo & Masripatin,
2002). The changes of concern in forest
conservation policies in Indonesia have been
met with various responses from the research
and scientific community. For instance, some
researchers emphasize the significance of
research on the rehabilitation of degraded
forest land and conservation of remaining
forest (Wardojo & Masripatin, 2002), and some
others highlight the need for a more integrated
approach that links remote sensing, ecological,
and social science research such as community
involvement, conservation funding, corruption,
and global shift towards neoliberalism to better
understand and manage the forests (Adnan &
Dadi, 2023; Gellert, 2005; Sánchez-Azofeifa et
al., 2005).
Research has shown that the costs of
deforestation in Aceh are high as it has forests
with high ecosystem services value (Cochard,

Trends In Forest Conservation Research In Aceh Province, Indonesia Through 2023 .........................(Durrah Hayati et al.)

2017).As the region with the most remaining
forest in Sumatra, Aceh plays a crucial role in
forest conservation for both local and global
ecosystems. Aceh is home to rich and diverse
forest ecosystems, including tropical rainforests
and peatlands, which harbor a wide array of
unique plant and animal species (Gumay et
al., 2019). The Gunung Leuser National Park
(GLNP) in Aceh serves as a crucial refuge for
over 50% of Sumatra's plant diversity, with
around 10,000 plant species, including 17
endemic genera, 201 mammal species, and 580
bird species, including 21 endemic species. The
GLNP is vital for preserving the biodiversity
of lowland forests in Southeast Asia, which
are rapidly disappearing (Cochard, 2017;
IUCN World Heritage, 2020). Protecting and
conserving Aceh’s forest is therefore paramount
to preserving biodiversity, mitigating climate
change, and ensuring the long-term ecological
integrity of the region.
More than 58% of this province’s land is
forested area, of which 50.2% is protected
forest and almost 20% belong to a national
park and wildlife reserve (Mundzir et al., 2023).
This is partly because of the province's isolated
and distinctive geography and history of open
conflict that raged in Aceh from the 1970s until
2004 which has left the forest in a near-pristine
condition for at least 35 years (Cochard, 2017).
According to Cochard (2017) despite being
home to valuable tropical rainforest, immense
biodiversity, and rare wildlife, Aceh does not
seem to lead a good path towards sustainable
practices in the long-term, proven by many cases
of environmentally destructive natural resource
extraction practices, for instance, conversion
of peatlands into oil palm plantations. This
condition emphasizes the need for effective
conservation approaches that can be achieved
through effective and well-informed forest
conservation policies.
Understanding the scientific landscape of
forest conservation research in Aceh can be
the first step to developing and implementing
better practices in forest conservation

(Cochard, 2017; Linkie et al., 2013). Therefore,
this research seeks to systematically review and
map out earlier studies on forest conservation
in Aceh, concentrating on bibliographic trends
and the primary topics previously investigated.
This study introduces the first bibliometric
analysis which focuses on forest conservation
in Aceh. Mapping past studies such as in
bibliometrics analysis can provide insights into
key trends and gaps in a specific scope and
study area. This method can identify influential
publications, authorship patterns, co-citation
networks, thematic areas, key research themes,
and emerging themes (Bullock & Lawler, 2015;
Szomszor et al., 2021). This information can
provide direction for potential future research
and encourage researchers to conduct more
targeted and impactful research in the future to
collectively help shape better forest management
and policy in Aceh. Therefore, in this study,
we conduct a bibliometric analysis of forest
conservation research in Aceh, Indonesia. We
use bibliometric analysis because of its ability
to systematically evaluate and quantify the
impact of research publications, identify trends
and patterns in scientific literature, assess the
productivity and influence of researchers and
institutions, and facilitate the discovery of key
research areas, research gaps, and emerging
topics within forest conservation field in Aceh.
II. METHODS
This study utilizes the Scopus database as
the primary data source. Scopus is the largest
database of scientific documents in the world,
with over 87 million items from more than 7,000
publishers in 105 countries, including more
than 17 million author profiles (Elsevier, 2023).
The dataset was converted into BibTex format
and then imported into Biblioshiny for analysis
using the R 4.3.0 programming language. In this
study, we used the Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny
software packages to analyse and visualise the
status of research and research trends in the
forest conservation fields in Aceh Province,
Indonesia.

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The keyword search used to extract data
from the Scopus database was: “Forest” OR
“Forestry” OR “Hutan” OR “Kehutanan”
AND “Conservation” OR “Konservasi” AND
"Aceh" OR "Bener Meriah" OR "Gayo Lues"
OR "Pidie" OR "Simeulue" OR "Bireuen"
OR "Nagan Raya" OR "Pidie Jaya" OR
"Sabang" with a publication time range of alltime until April 2023, which is the time when
the data extraction was conducted. These
keywords include the primary term 'forest’ and
‘conservation' in both English and Indonesian,
along with the names of districts within Aceh
Province that do not contain the word 'Aceh'
such as 'Bireun'. Names of districts that do
contain the word 'Aceh', such as 'Aceh Besar',
are excluded from the keywords because they
are already represented by the term 'Aceh'. This
is to avoid repetition in keywords. The inclusion
of specific district names aims to enhance the

retrieval of region-specific research related to
Aceh Province. A total of 354 publications
were obtained and analysed using Bibliometrix
and Biblioshiny.
III. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
A. Bibliography Pattern of Scientific
Publications on Forest Conservation in
Aceh
A.1. Number of publications
The search conducted in the Scopus database
based on the keyword string yielded a total of
354 articles related to forest and conservation
studies in Aceh. Several types of documents
were found, including peer-reviewed journal
articles comprising 47%, followed by conference
papers at 45%. The remaining documents
consisted of book chapters (3%), conference
reviews (2%), and other document types (3%)

Figure 1. Data analysis workflow

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Trends In Forest Conservation Research In Aceh Province, Indonesia Through 2023 .........................(Durrah Hayati et al.)

Figure 2. Elevation and land cover map of Portugal (Meneses et al., 2018).

Figure 3. Annual publication volume of forest conservation research

such as editorials and review letters (Figure 2).
Based on the results of bibliometric analysis
(Figure 3), it is known that research on forest
conservation in Aceh indexed in Scopus began
in 1989. Studies on forest conservation in Aceh
were absent from the record between 1991
to 1999. The database continued the record
with an insignificant number of publications
in 2000. The momentum of the increase in
the number of publications started in 2007
when the number of publications increased
significantly compared to previous years. In
the following years, there was a slow increase
in the number of scientific publications until

2016, with an average of 6 articles per year. The
number of scientific publications has sharply
increased since 2017, reaching its peak in 2021
with 74 scientific publications related to forest
conservation in Aceh.
The substantial increase in forest
conservation publications in 2007 reflects a
growing interest among researchers in this
field. Most publications identified in the
Scopus database are scientific articles and
seminar papers, which show a primary focus on
empirical research and data analysis. Notably,
the peak publication year in 2021 suggests
that interest in forest conservation in Aceh

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has only recently gained momentum and is
likely to continue expanding, driven by rising
awareness of forests' role in climate change
mitigation, global funding, and governmentbacked conservation initiatives (Bishop et
al., 2006; Vincent et al., 2014). Furthermore,
an analysis of publication trends reveals the
influence of political conditions on scientific
activity. The limited publications from 1989
to 2005 coincide with Aceh’s civil war, lasting
from the 1970s until a peace agreement in 2005
(Lassa, 2010). The post-war period saw a rise in
publications beginning in 2007, suggesting a link
between stability and research advancement in
Aceh. Fiialka (2022) supports this correlation,
showing that war hinders research by causing
psychological strain, funding challenges, loss
of relevance, disrupted scientific networks, and
obstacles in fieldwork, factors likely impacting
Aceh's isolated and restricted access to research
support during the conflict. Additionally,
forest conservation research may have been
deprioritized in favour of urgent social issues
amid the insurgency.
A.2. Main publication platforms
The majority (153 articles) of the scientific
publications were published in various
conferences in collaboration with the IOP
Conference Series: Earth and Environmental

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Science, Journal of Physics Conference Series,
E3S Web Conferences, and AIP Conference
Proceedings. Meanwhile, most publications in
scientific journals (30 articles) were found in the
Biodiversitas journal, which is an Indonesianbased journal indexed in Scopus (Figure 4).
It is interesting to note that most of
the publications were found in conference
proceedings platforms rather than journals.
This may be because conference proceedings
offer a faster and more efficient process of
disseminating the latest research findings and
allow researchers to receive direct feedback
from peers or experts in the same field.
Another possible factor why researchers
choose to publish their research in conference
proceedings and domestically indexed journals
is funding limitations. The publication cost for
conference proceedings is lower compared to
traditional academic journals, making it a more
attractive option for researchers with limited
funding. Indonesia’s academic system can also
play a major role in why the researchers tend to
publish in conferences instead of in traditional
scientific journals. The pressure to produce
more scientific papers as a requirement for
career advancement in Indonesia’s academic
system has led to a preference for conference
proceedings over traditional scientific journals
(Fry et al., 2023; Sayekti, 2021). This might be

Figure 4. Most relevant publication platforms for scientific articles related to forest conservation in Aceh

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partly due to the implementation of a ranking
and evaluation system for researchers, which has
contributed to an increase in total publications,
with a significant portion being conference
proceedings (Fry et al., 2023).
A.3. Affiliations
The bibliometric analysis of the affiliations
of scientific publications in the field of forest
conservation (Figure 5) reveals that Syiah Kuala
University is the major contributor, with a
total of 322 published articles. Collaboration
between various local and foreign institutions
also plays an important role, with a total of 137

publications. Other local universities, such as
Samudra University, contributed 52 publications,
while Bogor Agricultural University and the
University of North Sumatra contributed 48
and 41 publications, respectively.
The high number of publications affiliated
with foreign institutions in the field of forest
conservation (Figure 6) shows a significant
level of international collaboration in research
related to the scope of forest conservation.
This suggests that researchers and institutions
in the field of forest conservation recognize
the importance of working with colleagues
from other countries to enhance the quality of

Figure 5. Most relevant affiliations for the scientific publications on forest conservation in Aceh

Figure 6. Map of country collaboration network on forest conservation research in Aceh

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research and achieve global common goals of
forest conservation. International collaboration
can combine expertise from various regions,
provide access to unique research locations,
and enhance potential funding and other
resources. The high number of publications
affiliated with foreign institutions also
emphasizes that research in the field of forest
conservation is a global concern and requires
cross-border collaboration to address the
challenges faced by forests and biodiversity
effectively. Since its emergence in the 1990s,
the concept of international conservation
has evolved and aligned with the increasing
significance of collaborative efforts, is reflected
in transboundary conservation projects within
international treaties such as the Convention on
Biological Diversity (Ali, 2010).
B. Knowledge Structure of Scientific Field
on Forest Conservation Research in
Aceh
B.1. Keywords frequency and topic trends
We analyzed word frequency over time
on the keyword plus to find the most used
keywords and their accumulation pattern over
the years from 1990 to 2023. We excluded a
few words related to places (Aceh, province,
Indonesia, Sumatra, Nanggroe, Aceh Besar,
Malaysia, Greater Sunda, Sunda Isle, Banda
Aceh) to focus on the topics of the research.

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The keyword frequency numbers represent the
number of documents where the keywords are
found. This analysis found the most frequently
used keywords in forest conservation
research in Aceh to be “forestry” (n=59),
“conservation” (n=30), “fisheries” (n=27),
“ecosystem” (n=24), “biodiversity” (n=22),
“sustainable development” (n=16), “tsunamis”
(n=16), “disasters” (n=14), “animals” (n=13),
and “deforestation” (n=13). The term
“biodiversity” has been used in the literature for
a longer period than other most frequent terms,
dating back to 2002, while the terms “forestry”,
“ecosystem”, “tsunami”, and “disasters”
started to be used around the year 2004 and
2005. Interestingly, the word although being the
second and third most frequently used words,
the terms “conservation” and “fisheries” were
not found in the scientific literature until 2018.
Moreover, we conducted a trend topic analysis
to illustrate the evolution of keyword terms
over time and the emergence of new keywords
within the topic. As shown in Figure 8, the size
of the dots signifies the frequency of the topic
words, while the horizontal line represents the
temporal span of these keywords. The mapping
on keyword trends (Figure 8) shows that forest
management, ecosystem services, agriculture,
and diversity index were among the most recent
topics trending in the field. Additionally, Pinus
merkusii was found to have been a research

Figure 7. Keywords frequency in scientific publications related to forest conservation in Aceh

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topic for the longest time, since 2006 until
recently (more discussed in Section C). There
were also mentions of tsunami and coastal
zone management in addition to forest-related
keywords. Most papers with these keywords
were found in 2009, which trended following
the huge province-wide tsunami disaster in
Aceh in 2004.
B.2. Keyword clusters
We also performed keyword clustering with a
conceptual structure using a network approach.
The analysis included keyword cluster analysis,
and the results are presented in Figure 9, which
shows the interconnectedness of keywords

in a cluster. The keywords cluster provides a
visual representation of the distribution and
relationships of keywords within the body of
literature analyzed. It serves as a good tool
for understanding the thematic landscape and
topical structure of the research field.
We performed a keyword co-occurrence
network analysis on the top 100 most-used
keywords based on the keyword plus, using
the Spinglass clustering algorithm with
normalization based on association. Isolated
nodes were excluded, and a minimum of two
edges was required for inclusion. We identified
6 main keyword clusters. In Figure 9, each main

Figure 8. Topic trend in scientific publications on forest conservation research in Aceh

Figure 9. Keywords co-occurrences in most relevant clusters on forest conservation research in Aceh

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keyword cluster is represented by a different
color. The brown cluster appears to concentrate
on "controlled study" involving "animals" with
links to "malaria," alongside mentions of "tree,"
"agricultural land," and "productivity." The
blue cluster primarily focuses on themes of
"conservation," "biodiversity," "ecosystems,"
and "fisheries," with connections to endangered
species, the "diversity index," "environmental
protection," and "mangrove ecosystems."
The purple cluster explores the relationships
between "forestry" and "land use," "land
cover," "land use change," and "climate
change," with mentions of "remote sensing"
and "geographical information systems." This
cluster also includes discussions on "soils,"
"water conservation," and "floods." The red
cluster interlinks keywords such as "rural areas,"
"palm oil," "deforestation," "primate," and
"Pongo pygmaeus." Lastly, the yellow and green
clusters address similar themes, focusing on the
"tsunami disaster," "sustainable development,"
"conservation management," "coastal zone
management," and "mangrove forest.".
The TreeMap of the 50 most frequently
used author’s keywords (Figure 10) were
also generated to assess the different topics
underlying forest conservation in Aceh. The
results show consistency with other keyword

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analyses performed, wherein the main keywords
found to be “conservation”, “biodiversity”,
“traditional knowledge”, “climate change”,
“land use”, “mangrove”, “deforestation”, and
42 other relevant topics as seen in Figure 10.
C. Research Hotspots and Prospects
According to Plenderleith (1998), the
concept of conservation first evolved in the
19th century when people started to put value on
landscapes and rare plants and animal species.
The rise of actions for nature conservation
was initiated in the West, which included
Europe and North America. This concept was
also brought up in Indonesia by the Dutch
colonialists around the same period of the 18th
to 19th century (Boomgaard, 1999). The result
of this study shows that research on forest
conservation in Aceh is behind by many decades
in response to the evolvement of this topic.
The term "conservation" has been used more
frequently in recent years (2018-2023), perhaps
due to increasing funds directed to reach more
untapped regions in Indonesia, including Aceh,
and awareness among the scientific community
in this province about forest conservation.
The long-standing research interest in Pinus
merkusii shows the importance of this tree
species in Aceh. Researchers are interested in

Figure 10. TreeMap of the 50 most frequently used author keywords

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understanding the genetic and morphological
features of the Sumatran pine (Andini et al.,
2022; Siregar & Hattemer, 2004) and how
to best manage this species for sustainable
forest use (Imanuddin et al., 2020). Pinus
merkusii, or Sumatran Pine, is an economically
and ecologically important species native to
Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries
(Imanuddin et al., 2020). This species is native
to the region and is commonly used for timber
production and sap extraction, among other
uses (Andini et al., 2022). It is also widely used
in reforestation and rehabilitation efforts due
to its adaptability to various environments
(Imanuddin et al., 2020). The natural distribution
of P. merskusii in North Sumatra, Indonesia,
is primarily found in clustered populations
at elevations between 1000 to 2000 meters
above sea level on steep slopes. In Aceh, the
largest population of P. merkusii is particularly
threatened by the expansion of citronella grass
plantation for essential oils production, which
has led to log of pine trees for firewood (Andini
et al., 2022). Conservation efforts, including
reforestation and sustainable management, are
crucial for the species’ survival (Imanuddin et
al., 2020).
Recent research on ecosystem services
in Aceh Province, Indonesia, has focused
on measuring and mainstreaming forest
ecosystem services for improved conservation
and management. Studies have trained local
forest managers and community members in
data collection and analysis of key ecosystem
services, including forest carbon, tree
biodiversity, and forest health (Ar Rasyid et al.,
2022; Samek et al., 2022). These efforts aim to
support sustainable forest management and
inform policy decisions. At the national level,
Indonesia is working to mainstream ecosystem
services from its remaining forests to achieve
Sustainable Development Goals and address
challenges like deforestation and climate change
(Nugroho et al., 2022).
Keyword co-occurrences cluster on forestry
concerning land use and climate change discuss
significant forest degradation and conversion

to other land uses, particularly cropland and
built-up areas. This transformation has led
to decreased carbon stocks, with forests
experiencing the highest losses (Achmad et al.,
2023). Climate variables, including temperature
and humidity, have shown increasing trends
linked to land use land cover (LULC) changes.
In the Gayo highlands, primary and secondary
forests have declined, while mixed dryland
agriculture and settlements have expanded
(Arico et al., 2023).
The keyword “mangrove” appears in
two different clusters. The first one is in the
clusters related to tsunami disasters, sustainable
development, and coastal zone management.
The second cluster is the one closely related
to conservation, ecosystem, and fisheries. The
documents analyzed show an extensive number
of publications focusing on the research of
mangroves, as also shown in the keyword
analysis results. The research on mangroves
has focused on assessing biodiversity,
carbon stocks, and ecosystem recovery posttsunami emphasizing ecological assessments,
technological applications, and socio-economic
implications. Studies have quantified carbon
stock, tree density, and biodiversity in different
mangrove areas, which discuss their ecological
roles and variations. Remote sensing techniques,
such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)
and geographic information systems (GIS)
have been employed to analyze mangrove
characteristics and spatial distribution,
providing critical data for effective management
(Azhar et al., 2021). Additionally, investigations
into species distribution, litter production, and
macrozoobenthic communities have offered
insights into the ecological functions and health
of mangrove ecosystems. Socio-economic
studies have explored the potential of mangrove
management to bolster regional economies and
the suitability of mangroves for ecotourism.
Post-tsunami recovery research has focused on
the resilience and adaptation of mangroves to
natural disasters, informing restoration efforts
(Harefa et al., 2023). The mention of tsunami
and coastal zone management is interesting,

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as it suggests that the 2004 tsunami disaster in
Aceh has had a significant impact on research
in this region. The disaster may have prompted
researchers to investigate how to better
manage coastal zones and forests to mitigate
the impact of future disasters. Coastal zone
management includes the management of green
infrastructure, including coastal vegetation such
as beach forests and mangroves. These are the
most cost-effective coastal protection which
contribute to climate adaptation, ecological
conservation, and most importantly, improving
coastal resilience against natural disasters, such
as Tsunami (Chang & Mori, 2021).
The presence of fisheries in forest
conservation studies can be attributed to
the interconnectedness of land and water
ecosystems. Mangroves, for example, are
vital for supporting fisheries. They serve as
breeding grounds, nurseries, and habitats
for diverse aquatic species, significantly
enhancing the socio-economic conditions of
coastal communities by providing habitat for
economically important species and a source
of nutrition (Mhatre, 2024; Nandan et al., 2021;
Nugraha et al., 2021). Furthermore, forest
management practices can greatly influence
water quality, hydrology, and aquatic ecology,
thereby impacting fish populations and fisheries
(Shah et al., 2022). Conservation efforts often
highlight the mutual reliance of forests and
fisheries on the functionality of freshwater
ecosystems, particularly in biodiversity-rich and
economically developing areas (Phang et al.,
2019).
Biodiversity being the second most
frequently used keyword discusses areas
concerning endangered species that focus on
threats and conservation efforts for orangutans,
elephants, and tigers. Snare trapping poses a
significant danger to these species, threatening
the last sympatric population of tigers,
rhinoceros, elephants, and orangutans in the
region. Human-elephant conflicts are a major
concern, with community perceptions playing
a crucial role in conservation efforts (Berliani

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et al., 2016). Studies have mapped elephant
distribution in Aceh and North Sumatra
that highlight the need for collaborative
conservation strategies (Hankinson et al., 2020).
Recent research has employed machine learning
algorithms to predict the potential ranges of
these charismatic mammals, which shows that
conservation status and temperature seasonality
are critical factors influencing their distribution.
Notably, a significant portion of these species'
habitats lies outside protected areas, so there
is an urgent need for expanded conservation
efforts beyond current protected area networks
(Rahman et al., 2022).
Despite the comprehensive coverage of
research areas, there are still many research
niches that remain unexplored in the scope
of forest conservation in Aceh. Those include
delving deeper into the recently emerging topics
such as ecosystem services, forest management
and policy, and agriculture relevance with
forest conservation. Moreover, we realize that
there is a lack of interdisciplinary studies such
as the integration of social studies. This can
be a big prospect for future studies in forest
conservation in the region. Interdisciplinary
studies play a crucial role in forest conservation
by integrating diverse perspectives and
methodologies. They bridge the gap between
social and natural sciences, enhancing our
understanding of complex socio-ecological
systems (Winkel & Jump, 2014). These studies
reveal the interconnectedness of history,
ecology, and local knowledge in shaping effective
conservation policies. By combining ecological
and social indicators, researchers can better
assess the impacts of land use changes on forest
biodiversity and community perceptions (Ravera
et al., 2015). Interdisciplinary approaches also
help in developing predictive proxy indicators
for long-term forest management outcomes
(Miller et al., 2017). Moreover, they enable a
multidimensional characterization of forest
change impacts on human well-being and
reconcile explanations from different disciplines
(Lele & Kurien, 2011).

Trends In Forest Conservation Research In Aceh Province, Indonesia Through 2023 .........................(Durrah Hayati et al.)

IV. CONCLUDING REMARKS
The conservation of forests in Aceh
Province is significant for preserving
biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and
sustaining local livelihoods. The bibliometric
analysis conducted in this study discusses the
current state of research in forest conservation
in Aceh and identifies areas that require more
attention. The significant increase in the number
of publications since 2007 shows a growing
interest and engagement among researchers in
this field. There is a peak in publications in 2021
which indicates the continued momentum and
commitment to forest conservation in Aceh.
The analysis also reveals the influence of the
political situation on scientific activities. The
decline in publications during the time of Aceh’s
civil war highlights the adverse impact of conflict
on research and scientific publication activities.
The post-war period saw a notable shift in the
number of publications, suggesting a potential
connection between safety, security, and
knowledge advancement in forest conservation
in Aceh. The analysis of keywords highlights
a significant opportunity for future research
to adopt a more diverse, interdisciplinary
approach to forest conservation, particularly by
incorporating social and economic dimensions.
While current studies heavily emphasize
biological and ecological aspects, integrating
socio-economic perspectives would provide
a more holistic understanding that addresses
both environmental and human factors in
forest conservation.
Nonetheless, as the number of publications
or citations serves as an approximate estimation
of a subject's scientific relevance, the selection
of keywords for this research may affect both
the quality of the conceptualization from the
co-word analysis and the validity of the resulting
maps. Furthermore, the inclusion criteria for
the publication search limited the analysis to
papers written in English, which may introduce
biases, especially since the reliance is only on
the Scopus database as the sole evaluation tool
could limit the result. This sampling strategy

may also overlook articles published in other
languages.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors thank the anonymous reviewers
and editors for their valuable suggestions. We
also give special appreciation to Rizka Maulida
for her assistance in data acquisition.
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