A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, School of Environment, Resources and Development

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1997

The forest laws and regulations imposed by government to solve chronicle deforestation has created conflicts between those rural communities and government over forest resource use and control. This research, therefore, tried to focus on the study of community-based forest management practices in Northern region of Thailand for sustainable use and development in order to address the problem whether community-based forestry management can protect and save the deteriorating situation and related problem of deforestation. This study was conducted in a Tambon, a part of Maechai watershed of Phayao Province in North Thailand, where natural headwater forest has been recently managed in collaboration among local communities living in upstream and downstream areas under the conditions of ethnic diversity and the promulgation of the National Park Act. This research work is based on both secondary and primary sources of data and information. An intensive field survey was conducted through a standard questionnaire and supplemented by group discussions and informal interviews to gather information about the historical development of settlements in the study area. The field data gathered are analyzed by means of the following statistics : frequency, means and percentage. Statistical means used for testing hypotheses is through chi square test. A forest inventory and the interpretation of aerial photographs, topographic maps and satellite imageries for assessing the forest situation, land use pattern and forest land use change~ as well as historical approach are employed as complementary tools to test hypotheses. The pattern of forest use and management of local communities have evolved in accordance with the extent of community dependence on forest resource based on ethnic background, population pressure, cropping pattern, and intervention of government policy. Conservation for water is the common and most dominant motivating factor among the local communities. Degree of awareness to conserve and manage forest by local communities increases from distant far-downstream community to upstream community within the watershed area. Customary laws and effective local organizations have contributed a lot to community forestry management effectively. Policy prohibits settlement and farming in National Park area has not restricted the management of forest by local communities. And, the laws or regulations imposed by the state on the community have not affected access to, right of uses and sharing benefits from the forests. The joint management between community and government or non-government organization is recommended to strengthen community forest management in the study area and the other areas with similar environmental condition through facilitating role of forest government officials, provision of support services, monitoring and enforcement of control mechanism and capacity building of local organization. At macro level, development strategy for effective management of community forestry is also recommended, i.e., decentralisation of forest and watershed management, supporting local organizational development and developing networks of local organization, integrating rural development with community forest management and developing conservation practices.