Hutan mangrove di Desa Sisarahili, Kabupaten Nias Utara, telah dikembangkan sebagai destinasi wisata berbasis alam sejak tahun 2017 melalui forum musyawarah desa. Meskipun telah dicapai kemajuan yang cukup berarti, beberapa permasalahan krusial masih belum terselesaikan, di antaranya aktivitas wisata yang tidak terkendali, alih fungsi lahan mangrove secara ilegal, serta terbatasnya keterlibatan masyarakat dalam proses perencanaan strategis dan pengambilan keputusan. Kondisi tersebut menimbulkan ancaman serius terhadap keberlanjutan ekosistem mangrove yang merupakan daya tarik utama kawasan wisata ini. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji persepsi masyarakat terhadap dampak ekologis dan sosial ekonomi dari pengembangan wisata hutan mangrove, serta menganalisis tingkat keterlibatan masyarakat dalam pengelolaan kawasan wisata hutan mangrove Desa Sisarahili. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain deskriptif kuantitatif dengan melibatkan 90 responden yang dipilih melalui teknik stratified random sampling berdasarkan rumus Slovin dari total populasi sebanyak 759 jiwa. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui kuesioner terstruktur menggunakan skala Likert lima poin serta wawancara mendalam dengan perangkat desa dan pengelola wisata. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa persepsi masyarakat terhadap aspek ekosistem berada pada kategori sangat tinggi, dengan rata-rata skor berkisar antara 3,91 hingga 4,76. Skor tertinggi diperoleh pada indikator peraturan dan perlindungan flora serta fauna mangrove, sedangkan skor terendah terdapat pada indikator keterlibatan pengunjung dalam menjaga kebersihan kawasan. Persepsi terhadap aspek sosial ekonomi juga berada pada kategori sangat tinggi, dengan rata-rata skor berkisar antara 3,96 hingga 4,38, yang mencerminkan bahwa masyarakat telah merasakan manfaat nyata secara langsung, meliputi peningkatan pendapatan rumah tangga, munculnya peluang usaha baru, serta terciptanya lapangan kerja baru. Adapun tingkat keterlibatan masyarakat berada pada kategori sangat tinggi, dengan rata-rata skor berkisar antara 4,33 hingga 4,60, dengan tingkat partisipasi tertinggi tercatat pada kegiatan operasional kawasan wisata, meskipun keterlibatan pada tahap perencanaan dan pengambilan keputusan masih relatif lebih rendah. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa masyarakat Desa Sisarahili memiliki persepsi yang sangat positif terhadap pengembangan wisata hutan mangrove pada seluruh dimensi yang dikaji. Penguatan program pendidikan lingkungan, perluasan partisipasi masyarakat dalam proses pengambilan keputusan, pelibatan lembaga lokal seperti BUMDes, serta peningkatan kualitas infrastruktur dan tata kelola wisata direkomendasikan sebagai langkah strategis guna menjamin keberlanjutan ekowisata hutan mangrove di Desa Sisarahili dalam jangka panjang.

Kata kunci: persepsi masyarakat, wisata hutan mangrove, ekosistem, dampak sosial ekonomi, keterlibatan masyarakat, ekowisata berkelanjutan.

Mangrove forest in Sisarahili Village, North Nias Regency, has been developed as a nature-based tourism destination since 2017 through a village deliberation forum. Despite the notable progress achieved, several critical issues remain unresolved, including uncontrolled tourism activities, illegal conversion of mangrove land, and limited community involvement in strategic planning and decision-making processes. These conditions pose a significant threat to the sustainability of the mangrove ecosystem, which serves as the primary attraction of the tourism area. This study aimed to examine community perceptions toward the ecological and socio-economic impacts of mangrove forest tourism development, as well as to analyze the level of community involvement in the management of the mangrove forest tourism area in Sisarahili Village. A quantitative descriptive design was employed, involving 90 respondents selected through stratified random sampling based on the Slovin formula from a total population of 759 residents. Data were collected through structured questionnaires using a five-point Likert scale and in-depth interviews with village officials and tourism managers. The results revealed that community perceptions toward the ecosystem aspect were in the very high category, with mean scores ranging from 3.91 to 4.76. The highest score was recorded for the indicator of regulations and protection of mangrove flora and fauna, while the lowest was found for visitor involvement in maintaining area cleanliness. Perceptions toward the socio-economic aspect were also in the very high category, with mean scores ranging from 3.96 to 4.38, reflecting that the community has directly experienced tangible benefits including increased household income, the emergence of new business opportunities, and the creation of new employment. Meanwhile, the level of community involvement was in the very high category, with mean scores ranging from 4.33 to 4.60, with the highest participation recorded in the operational activities of the tourism area, although involvement in planning and decision-making stages remained comparatively lower. This study concludes that the community of Sisarahili Village holds a very positive perception toward mangrove forest tourism development across all dimensions examined. Strengthening environmental education programs, expanding community participation in decision-making processes, engaging local institutions such as BUMDes, as well as improving tourism infrastructure and management quality are recommended as strategic measures to ensure the long-term sustainability of mangrove forest ecotourism in Sisarahili Village.
Keywords: Community involvement, community perception, ecosystem, mangrove forest tourism, socio-economic impact, sustainable ecotourism.