Joint Buffer Zone Forest Management of the Community Area in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary

Abstract

The objectives of this research are 1) to study the management and problems of common buffer forest management, and 2) to propose a strategy for managing common buffer forest of the community at Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary. It is a qualitative research compiled by document research. Field research consists of in-depth interviews, uninterrupted observation, public stage measurement, activity in “eating wild rice, telling stories and listening to problems.” Forty-seven key informants were used in the study, and triangulation was conducted with checking on data collection methods. Data analysis included content analysis method and explained in a descriptive way, with emphasis on the principles of rules and regulations for resource management

            The research revealed two findings. First is the exploitation of the national forest reserves, and community forests that was caused by people inside and outside of the said forests in the forms of encroaching on the ground, cutting down trees, searching for forest products, and hunting for forest reserves. Other problems included forest fire crisis in drought and problems of wild elephants invading the area and destroying horticultural crops, as well as the encroachment into Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary. The second finding concerns the fact that the area of community forests and national forests that the area of is both adjacent to and not adjacent to the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, hence carrying out activities through the community forest establishment projects approved by the Forest Department Operations in community forest areas with joint patrols. There are also discussions between the government and the community. Other projects include making a forest fire prevention line, building check dams to slow down water, planting extra trees, and setting up extraction points for preventing and monitoring violation, and all of which abide with rules for utilization in the same direction. In this aspect, spatial uses under different community factors need to establish guidelines that are based on how to be strategic in the area of Huai Kha Khaeng bumper to serve as a guideline for all practices under the new law (Community Forest Act (2019) and Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act (2019) to be a strategy of the area, of the district, and of the province).