Abstract
This study investigates community role models in the buffer zone of the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) habitat to improve wetland conservation using a mixed-methods exploratory sequential design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with local communities and the Sahabat Bekantan Indonesia Foundation, non-participatory observation, and a survey of 322 respondents in the buffer zone of the proboscis monkey habitat in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The results reveal that community involvement is structured around three primary constructs: (1) Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) through co-management surveillance systems and mangrove restoration, (2) Indigenous Knowledge (IK), expressed through emerging ecological awareness and locally adapted interactions with wildlife, and (3) Sustainable Livelihood Approaches (SL) that support economic resilience via ecotourism and sustainable resource use. The structural model demonstrated that these constructs significantly influenced wetland environmental conservation (R² = 0.758), with CBNRM having the strongest effect (β = 0.433), followed by SL (β = 0.262) and IK (β = 0.225). These findings emphasize that conservation success depends on empowering local governance, aligning ecological goals with livelihood security, and strengthening situational ecological knowledge. The resulting model offers practical guidance for policy formulation and adaptive management in tropical wetland buffer zones facing socioecological vulnerability.