Community forest management in threat, the case from Dong Keng community forest, Khon Kaen province, Thailand(Thai)

Abstract

This survey-based study investigates monetary costs and benefits of Dong Keng's CFM, Dong Keng sub-district, Khon Kaen province to answer a question whether or not the program is cost-benefit congruent. Primary costs of the program involve forest protection activities. Local institution i.e. Tambol Administrative Organization allocates 60,000.00 baht (US$1,518.99) of its annual budget to pay wages to forest guards who are responsible for forest patrol and enforcement of rules and regulations, which basically apply to prevent timber harvesting, while non-timber forest products (NTFPs) remain open-access. Meanwhile, the management program does not generate monetary benefits (e.g., lease, concession, etc), other than approximately 283,663.70 baht (US$7,181.36) brought into Dong Keng's local economy in 2004 from selling NTFPs. While use of the forest continues without drastic changes to community's social practices, alarmingly villagers reported evidence of outside access and declining amounts of NTFPs, which increase opportunity costs to the locals in terms of greater time spent to collect forest products. Although current benefits outweigh costs, the increasing opportunity costs suggest that Dong Keng's CFM is in threat of overexploitation and social competition for the resources. Regulations such as entry fees, harvesting quotas and NTFP distribution depots are necessary before the opportunity costs rise too high and villagers have no incentives to carry on CFM's activities.