Mount Ciremai National Park is often referred to as the "Water Tower" for the Ciayumajakuning area, which includes Cirebon, Indramayu, Majalengka, and Kuningan Regencies. Kuningan Regency, located at the foot of Mount Ciremai, is an agricultural area with abundant water resources.

The region has more than 620 freshwater springs and 43 small rivers, with a total discharge of 8,352 liters per second. This situation gives Kuningan great potential for agribusiness development and investment in the agriculture and water management sectors. (Suwari Akhmaddhian, 2023)

The management of this area plays an important role in achieving the continuity of water resources supply in the Gunung Ciremai National Park (TNGC) area, in meeting the needs of the community, around agriculture, and industries that depend on water resources in the Ciayumajakuning area.

Although the region is rich in water resources, implementing conservation and utilization strategies can create problems. Therefore, it is important to balance preserving the ecosystem and meeting the community's needs so that water resources can be used sustainably.

One of the main challenges in the management of Mount Ciremai National Park (TNGC) is the increasing ecological pressures caused by human activities. Forest encroachment, land conversion, and uncontrolled water use have worsened environmental conditions.

The increase in population around the national park area impacts the increasing demand for land for housing and agricultural activities. This leads to converting conservation land to agricultural land, often with environmentally damaging practices, such as land clearing by burning, excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and uncontrolled groundwater extraction. As a result, hydrological conditions in the TNGC area have decreased, which is reflected in water quality and quantity reduction.

In addition, the high demand for water for household and industrial needs puts additional pressure on the sustainability of this ecosystem. In recent years, a number of springs sourced from Mount Ciremai have shown a drastic decrease in discharge. This is mainly due to the decline in forest vegetation cover and changes in rainfall patterns caused by the global climate.

Without appropriate and rapid mitigation measures, the potential for water crises in the area around TNGC will be even greater. These crises can ultimately disrupt agricultural activities, industrial operations, and the fulfillment of people's rights to access clean water guaranteed by the state.

The government has established various legal instruments as the normative basis for the sustainable management of conservation areas. These include Laws and Regulations Number 32 of 2024 concerning the Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems, which updates the previous provisions, Law Number 41 of 1999 concerning forestry, and Law Number 17 of 2019 concerning Water Resources.

In addition, government regulation Number 28 of 2011 concerning Nature Reserves and Nature Conservation Areas emphasizes that the management of national parks must be based on the principle of sustainability and prioritize a participatory approach. This means that the active involvement of local communities is an integral part of efforts to protect and preserve conservation areas, which is in line with the collaborative spirit mandated in modern conservation policies. (Sutrisno, 2015)

Mount Ciremai National Park plays a vital role in maintaining the balance of its ecosystem, especially as the primary source of water supply for the lives of the surrounding communities. In line with this, Law Number 17 of 2019 concerning Water Resources provides a legal framework for integrated water management, including within conservation areas. This law emphasizes ensuring that its use does not interfere with the quality and quantity of water for future generations.

Water management in the Gunung Ciremai National Park area is regulated explicitly in this regulation, with an approach based on the principles of prudence and sustainability. Article 33 of the Law emphasizes that the use of water resources in conservation areas must be in line with the preservation of the ecosystem and the community's basic needs, both for domestic purposes and other sectors. Therefore, water management in TNGC must balance efforts to meet human needs and protect ecosystems, including maintaining water. River flows and spring water sources in the area must remain sustainable and of high quality.

To overcome these challenges, a more flexible and inclusive legal approach is needed. This approach prioritizes rigid regulatory enforcement but also encourages active community involvement in the management of conservation areas. Initiatives such as promoting social forestry programs and conservation partnerships need to be maximized so that communities can reap the benefits of the economy and forest areas without damaging the integrity of their ecosystems.

On the other hand, strengthening the surveillance system is very important, including increasing the institutional capacity of Mount Ciremai National Park (BTNGC) as the regional management authority. Environmental

education and socialization activities also play a central role in building public understanding of the importance of water resource conservation in TNGC. Therefore, it is necessary to have community-based education programs, structured conservation campaigns, and the application of environmentally friendly technologies in agriculture and water management. These strategies are expected to encourage the growth of collective community awareness in maintaining the ecological balance of Mount Ciremai.

Thus, the management of the conservation area of Mount Ciremai National Park in the context of water resource conservation needs to be carried out in a comprehensive manner and with clear regulations, by emphasizing the principles of sustainability, empowerment of local communities, and synergy between stakeholders. The legal study in this study is expected to produce policies that strengthen forest and water conservation and ensure the fair and sustainable use of natural resources for local communities.

Based on the description above, the research question is how the legal aspects governing the management of water conservation areas in Mount Ciremai National Park are to preserve water resources?

The management of Mount Ciremai National Park (TNGC) is based on a legal framework designed to ensure the preservation of biodiversity, maintain ecosystem stability, and encourage the sustainable use of natural resources.

One of the main normative footholds in the management of this conservation area is Law Number 32 of 2024 concerning the Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems, which establishes legal principles such as the protection, preservation, and sustainable use of biological natural resources and their ecosystems to maintain environmental balance. Article 3 of the Law emphasizes that all conservation areas, including national parks, must be managed to preserve their resources and ecosystems and ensure the sustainability of their use for the community's welfare.

In addition, Law Number 41 of 1999 concerning Forestry also provides a legal basis by emphasizing that national parks are part of nature reserves and nature conservation areas that must be managed sustainably to maintain their ecological functions and meet the needs of current and future generations.

Regulations regarding managing water resources in Gunung Ciremai National Park (TNGC) are more specifically described in Government Regulation 28 of 2011 concerning the Management of Nature Reserve Areas and Nature Conservation Areas. This regulation emphasizes that the management of national parks must be based on the principles of sustainability, conservation, protection, and the use of environmentally friendly natural resources.

As part of the legal obligation, TNGC managers must prepare an Area Management Plan (RP-K), including policy directions, management strategies, zoning determination, and water conservation programs, as an integral part of the ecosystem protection system. Regional zoning is carried out by dividing the national park area into several zones, including core, jungle, utilization, and rehabilitation zones. Catchment areas to preserve water sources are generally placed in core zones or strict protection zones to avoid ecological degradation.

The government also emphasized the importance of involving local communities, customary law communities, civil society organizations, and the private sector in supporting conservation success. Recovery steps for damaged areas are carried out through reforestation, reclamation, and restoration of hydrological functions to maintain the stability of the water system.

As part of a nature conservation area, TNGC plays a vital role in maintaining natural hydrological cycles, such as rainwater infiltration, which is the source of spring water flowing into the surrounding area. Therefore, every form of land use must pay attention to provisions prohibiting destructive activities, including illegal depletion, environmental pollution, and land conversion, that can disrupt the area's hydrological balance.

In its implementation, the regulations governing the governance of conservation areas, especially related to the conservation of water resources in Mount Ciremai National Park (TNGC), are still faced with various obstacles, both from an institutional and operational perspective. One of the fundamental challenges is the weak effectiveness of environmental law enforcement, which is reflected in the still rampant practice of encroachment on forest areas, illegal land conversion, and water use without a valid permit. This condition is exacerbated by the limited capacity of law enforcement officials, both in terms of personal and technical skills, as well as the lack of support for facilities and supporting facilities for supervisory activities in the field.

The lack of consistency in sanctioning violations impacts increasing ecosystem damage and a decline in public trust in the rule of law in conservation. In addition to the non-optimal aspect of law enforcement, another major problem is the weak synergy between government agencies in the management of conservation areas, especially related to the management of water resources. (Pardede, et al., 2023)

There is an authority overlap between central agencies such as the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) and local governments and technical service apparatus such as forestry, water resources, and environment services at the regional level. The absence of policy integration between sectors often results in policies that run sectorally, are fragmented, and even contradictory to each other, which ultimately hinders the effectiveness and sustainability of conservation management in the TNGC area.

In its management practice, various obstacles still reflect structural and substantial problems in the natural resource management system based on the principle of sustainability. From a structural perspective, the lack of coordination between the central government, local governments, the Gunung Ciremai National Park Office (BTNGC), and the local community causes overlapping authority and roles in the policy formulation and implementation. This condition results in weak implementation of regulations, especially in supervising violations of environmental laws and water resource management. For example, in the case of converting forest land into agricultural land in the TNGC buffer zone, the local government often shows tolerance based on the economic considerations of the local community, even though BTNGC is tasked with carrying out the conservation mandate under national policies.

Another substantial challenge is the conflict between conservation efforts and residents' economic demands. Community dependence on agricultural products and water utilization from conservation areas is often not in line with environmental sustainability principles. Clearing land for agriculture in catchment areas, for example, risks accelerating environmental damage, ultimately leading to a decline in water quality and availability. (Noteboom, et al., 2021)

Therefore, environmental law is not enough to function only as a repressive tool; it must also be able to play a responsive and adaptive role in the social-ecological dynamics that develop at the local level.

In addition, the involvement of local communication and indigenous peoples living around the Mount Ciremai National Park (TNGC) area in environmental conservation activities is still relatively minimal and has not made a significant contribution. This low participation is influenced by various things, including the lack of counseling related to environmental law regulations and the lack of an optimal participatory approach from the management in actively involving the community from the planning stage to the implementation of conservation programs. In fact, the community's active role is a key element in the sustainable management of conservation areas.

The community should not only be positioned as policy recipients but also empowered as the main actors in environmental monitoring, local biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem rehabilitation. Implementing a collaborative strategy based on public participation, as mandated in the national environmental law framework, is believed to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of conservation efforts in conservation areas.

On the other hand, the involvement of indigenous peoples and local communities living around the Gunung Ciremai National Park (TNGC) in

environmental conservation efforts is still limited and has not shown significant results. This is due to the lack of dissemination of information about ecological law rules, as well as the weak efforts of the area management in inviting the community to actively participate from the planning stage to the implementation of conservation programs.

Active community participation is a key element in the management of conservation areas. The community needs to be involved not only as policy recipients but also as the main actors in protecting the environment, preserving local culture and knowledge that supports conservation, and in ecosystem restoration activities. By applying a collaborative approach based on public participation regulated in the national environmental law system, conservation areas can be carried out more effectively and sustainably.(Sutrisno, 2008)

In the context of implementing regional autonomy, the governments of Kuningan and Majalengka Regency have a strategic role as administrative authorities in the TNGC area, supporting environmental conservation efforts and water resource management. This role can be seen in the preparation and implementation of Regional Regulations (Perda) that substantially regulate ecological protection and natural resource management. One of the concrete examples of the implementation of this policy is the Kuningan Regency Regulation Number 2 of 2011 concerning Regional Spatial Planning (RTRW), which stipulates TNGC as part of a strategic protected area. This regulation serves as an essential legal basis to ensure that the use of space and development around the region remains in line with the principles of environmental sustainability.

The local government's support for the preservation efforts of Mount Ciremai National Park (TNGC) is not only realized through the implementation of various conservation programs.

This program includes replanting forests in catchment areas to maintain a sustainable water supply, constructing buffer zones to reduce the burden on core areas of national parks, and strengthening collaboration in conservation activities. In its implementation, this partnership includes cooperation between the TNGC Center, local governments, local communities, and civil society organizations, with a participatory approach that respects local wisdom. This cross-sectoral approach strengthens the effectiveness of conservation implementation on the ground and reflects the synergy between regional policies and national regulations in the forestry and environmental sectors.

To realize the principle of legal effectiveness in managing water resources in the NGAGC area, harmonization between national legal policies, such as Government Laws and Regulations, with regional regulations, especially Regional Regulations (Perda), is needed. This synchronization aims to create continuity between conservation policies and strategies designed in an integrated manner by the central and local governments. This synchronization includes alignment in the regulation of conservation zoning, the protection of

catchment areas, and the sustainable and responsible use of environmental services.(Maykewati, 2017)

In addition, adjustments to the permitted substances related to water use and land use around the TNGC area are essential to prevent policy conflicts and environmental damage. In this case, clarity is needed on the role and responsibility of local government officials in conducting consistent and fair supervision and law enforcement for violations of conservation rules. Good integration between national and regional policies is expected to provide legal certainty while strengthening the sustainable management of water resources in the TNGC, under the principles of legality and sustainability in environmental law.

As the leading manager, the TNGC Center has a legal obligation to supervise the condition of water resources in the area strictly. Managers must regularly monitor changes in aquatic ecosystems and take anticipatory measures to prevent further damage. In addition, they are also responsible for educating the surrounding community about the importance of preserving water and how they can play an active role in protecting natural resources.(Kola-Olusanya, et al., 2024)

The management of TNGC is legally obliged to ensure that all activities carried out within the conservation area run within the corridor of applicable laws and regulations. This obligation is not only administrative, but also substantive in maintaining the sustainability of the ecological function of the region. One of the main concerns is using water as a resource, which must be carried out based on the principle of prudence (Precautionary Principle). This principle requires preventive measures against the potential risk of environmental damage by ensuring that any form of use does not cause degradation to the natural ecosystem in the conservation area. Thus, law-based management is not only normative, but must also be operational in maintaining the ecological integrity of national parks as part of the state's responsibility in environmental conservation.(Astoni, 2018)

In efforts to manage the NGAC conservation area, the existence of the people living around the area plays a vital role in efforts to conserve water resources. Residents are expected to abide by applicable legal provisions regarding water use and participate in various conservation activities designed to foster awareness of the importance of maintaining the sustainability of water resources. Synergistic collaboration between area managers, governments, and communities is a key factor in realizing sustainable water management, directly contributing to meeting residents' water needs around conservation areas.