Indonesia is an agricultural country, and most of its territory is in the form of villages that have the potential to be developed as rural tourism centers. One area that has the potential to be developed into rural tourism centers is Panjalu, Indonesia. However, the sustainable development of rural tourism in Panjalu, Indonesia, still needs to be improved, so the community cannot enjoy the benefits of this rural tourism. This study aimed to analyze the sustainability strategy of rural tourism development in Panjalu, Ciamis, Indonesia. This study combined two methods, consisting of the Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS) and the Analytic Network Process (ANP). The MDS results show that rural tourism sustainability in Panjalu, Indonesia is included in the sufficient category, with a sustainability index of 57,998; 66,278; and 51,862, for ecological, socio-cultural and economic criteria, respectively. The MDS also analyzes which attributes are sensitive to the sustainability status. The most sensitive attributes for each criterion include Biodiversity for ecological criteria (RMS 2.224), Local Community Involvement for the social-culture criteria (1.147), and Livelihood Diversification for the economic criteria (1.245). These most sensitive attributes are, then, used as a reference for developing sustainable rural tourism development strategies. As a result, the strategic priority ranking for rural tourism in Panjalu, Indonesia is rural tourism based on culture and community development.

The objective of this study was to evaluate various physical and mechanical properties of experimental particleboard panels made from Asian giant bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper). Single layer panels having a density level of 0.75 g/cm³ from coarse and fine particles were used within the scope of this study. Thickness swelling, water absorption, surface roughness, and wettability characteristics of the samples were tested as physical properties while bending, internal bond strength, and screw withdrawal strength of the panels were considered for their mechanical properties. Resistance of the panels against termite and fungus were also determined. Based on the findings in the work both physical and mechanical properties of the panels made from coarse particles resulted in higher values than those made from fine particles with the exception of their internal bond strength. It appears that using fine particles in the panels enhanced their overall surface quality as well as wettability. Regarding biological deterioration of the samples, those made with coarse particles had better resistance. It seems that giant bamboo as a non-wood lignocellulosic species would have potential to be used as raw material to the manufacture value added particleboard with accepted characteristics.

Polylactic-acid–starch-based polymer composite (PLA/TPS) has good thermal stability for biocomposites. However, the physical and mechanical properties of PLA/TPS do not meet the standards. It needed additives to enhance its physical and mechanical properties. The aim was to improve the physical and mechanical properties of PLA/thermoplastic starch using sucrose. In addition, this study evaluated the enhancement of thermal properties of PLA/thermoplastic starch using sucrose. This study used sucrose as an additive to enhance the PLA/TPS composite. The addition of sucrose inhibits the degradation of biocomposites. This means that thermal stability increases. The thermal stability increased because the degree of crystallinity increased with the addition of sucrose, which was also proven in the XRD result. The addition of sucrose caused the morphology of the biocomposite to have pores. The FESEM results showed that biocomposites with the addition of sucrose had pores and gaps. These gaps result from low adhesion between polymers, causing a decrease in the mechanical and physical properties of the sample. Based on the FTIR spectra, biocomposite PLA/TPS blends with the addition of sucrose still have many hydroxyl groups that will lead to attracting other molecules or ions, such as oxygen or water. This phenomenon affects the physical and mechanical properties of materials. The physical and mechanical properties increased with sucrose addition. The best composite was prepared using 3% sucrose. This is because sucrose has a crystalline structure that affects the properties of biocomposites. However, the addition of 3% sucrose was not as effective as that of neat PLA.

Polylactic Acid (PLA) is a biodegradable polymer, but the cost of PLA is not competitive compared to polyolefins. The development of bioplastic composites by blending PLA with spent coffee grounds (SCG) and thermoplastic starch (TPS) is an effective way to reduce the cost of PLA. This study aimed to investigate and evaluate the feasibility of using SCG to develop bioplastic composite materials with a blend of PLA and TPS. Bioplastics were fabricated with various SCG contents (5, 10, 15 wt%). The physical and mechanical characteristics of the bioplastic composite decreased as the SCG content increased owing to the higher aggregation caused by SCG dust. However, the bioplastics manufactured with the addition of SCG exhibited enhanced crystallinity, resulting in enhanced thermal properties compared to the composites without SCG. The best characteristics of bioplastics, obtained with a 5% SCG addition, were as follows: water vapor transmission rate of 1276 g d/m², water vapor permeability (WVP) of 1.86256 × 10⁻⁷ g/ms Pa, Young’s modulus of 420 MPa, elongation of 2.59%, and tensile strength of 5 MPa. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the addition of SCG is not recommended for improving the physical and mechanical properties of bioplastics. However, owing to its large content of organic compounds, SCG represents a promising and low-cost functional material that can be exploited in the development of various value-added products.

Sengon, jabon, and acacia are fast-growing tropical wood species that are important for several wood industries in Indonesia. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the surface roughness and wettability of some heat-treated, fast-growing Indonesian wood species. Surface roughness was evaluated using the mean arithmetic deviation of the profile (Ra), whereas wettability was determined by measuring the contact angle method. The wood was subjected to heat treatment at 120, 150, or 180°C for 2 or 6 h using a small kiln unit. The heat treatment modification reduced the moisture content, wood density, and surface roughness and increased the wettability properties of all wood species. Jabon wood was the smoothest, followed by acacia and sengon, whereas jabon had the lowest wettability, followed by acacia and sengon. Wood anatomy has influences on those properties tested. Heat treatment did not affect surface quality but revealed a significant difference in wettability properties.

Bamboo has been part of the history and the socio-cultural and economic or livelihood aspects of Indonesia. Bamboo has been recommended as a potential species that could be utilized for community-based development in the rural part of the country as well as for utilization in various products, from traditional to modern and contemporary processes. However, there is a lack of integrated research on the community’s bamboo for industrial-scale products. This study aimed to determine and assess drivers-barriers to enable the formulation of strategic recommendations aimed at promoting the success of community-based supply of the commodity for the modern bamboo industry in Ngada Regency in Indonesia. The methods were applied by collecting quantitative and qualitative data using literature reviews, questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions, and direct field observations. Collected data were analyzed by descriptive analysis and assessing both for internal and external factors of drivers-barriers. Research findings showed that the community proceeds from a traditional mindset with regard bamboo resources and utilization but that the community actually already owned social capital to strengthen and drive modern bamboo utilization. However, there is still a lack of capacity building for bamboo management. This study also provides policymakers with strategic recommendations to develop integrated programs and regulations, support community-based bamboo utilization, improve livelihood, and support rural inclusive economic growth.