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Preliminary results
The „Non Yai" community forest covers 352 ha and is located within an area
of 2560 ha which was declared National Forest Reserve in 1971, several
decades after most of the area has been cleared for agricultural use. The
forest is described as Mixed Deciduous Forest. The main tree species are
Dipterocarpaceae, Xylia xylocarpa, Pterocarpus macrocarpus and Afzelia
xylocarpa. More than a decade ago five villages in the district of Potisrisouan
decided to stop farming on their fields and to restore a natural forest
area under their close supervision. The decision can be described as a
result of both external pressure and of internal reasons. Today a community
forest committee with ten representatives from each village is responsible
for the supervision of the community forest area, with the support of the
Sri Sa Ket Provincial Office of the Royal Forest Department. The preliminary
results of the research project indicate that villages with community forests
are fairly operative with a wide array of income-generating activities
to choose from. In these villages there seems to be a balance between forest
dependent and non-forest dependent activities. Products used from the forest
can be classified as food (mushrooms, roots, vegetables, fruits or insects),
herbal medicine and fuel wood. The use of forest land as grazing area is
steadily declining. There seems to be a growing demand for construction
wood. Limitations are the lack of trees with appropriate size and government
regulations which prohibit logging. Most of the products are collected
for self-consumption. Distribution or marketing of community forest products
play a minor role and often takes place within the villages. The collection
of minor forest products tends to decline for households with access to
secure and attractive income generating activities. Whereas farmers with
limited incomes due to moderate land holdings, lack of education or old
age still depend on community forest activities. If the community forest
concept is to be a successful mean in restoring Thailand's forests, it
seems to be necessary to increase the economic attraction of community
forest. Preconditions are among others secure land rights for villages
on their community forest land and regulations which allow the implementation
of sustainable forest management measures. |
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